Trained by Mick Appleby, Annaf was last seen securing a lucrative payday for his connections when landing the $2-million G2 1351 Turf Sprint in Saudi Arabia, bursting clear in the closing stages to win by three quarters of a length. The five-year-old had another big pot in his sights in the shape of the $1.5-million Al Quoz Sprint at Meydan on Saturday, March 30, but those plans have now had to be shelved as he prepares to return to his trainer's Oakham base.

Appleby said, “He got taken ill on the flight over, but it is not life threatening or anything and he's hopefully going to be fine, it's just prevented him from running. It's a shame but it's a risk you take when they are flying a fair bit. He came home after Saudi and was heading back out so maybe it was just a bit too much for him.

“He should be fine and the vets out in Dubai in the hospital are happy with him–he should be fine to come back home when the other one [Roberto Escobarr] does. We'll probably get him ready for Ascot now, that will probably be the main aim.”

A run at Royal Ascot could also be on the cards for Annaf's stablemate, Big Evs (Ire), who won four of his six starts as a two-year-old in 2023, culminating with another high-profile international success for his stable when landing the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Santa Anita in November.

“He's great and has wintered really well,” Appleby said of the son of Blue Point (Ire). “He's not far off being ready to run, we just need to decide where we are going to run. The obvious race would have been the Commonwealth Cup, but that is six furlongs and we don't really want to try him over six first time back, so we're not really sure where we will start back. The weather is not helping and it's raining again here now.

“I think in the early season we will definitely be sticking to five furlongs. We're obviously going to have to try him at six at some point and the way he won at Goodwood on that heavy ground, you would say he would stay the six.”

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“It's great going abroad winning these races and it puts us on the international map,” said Appleby. “Huge credit to the team in the yard who work hard all year.”

With Rossa Ryan aboard from a wide post, Annaf found cover early and didn't waste an inch as he edged over to the rail. Staying under the radar, he angled steadily up throughout the running and landed in an advantageous spot, finally slipping through the slimmest of seams to thread the needle on the inside and burst clear late. With a move not for the faint of heart, Annaf finished three-quarters of a length the best with a final time of time of 1:17.88 for the 1351 metres, or approximately 6 3/4 furlongs. The Japanese mare La La Christine closed from the clouds with a spectacular turn of foot, but ran out of ground and secured second as Bahrain's Byline found his best stride late to follow in her wake.

“With Annaf I have always tended to ride for luck. It seems to work for him,” said Ryan. “He lets hard-hitters do the work for him and picks up the pieces.

“The owner and trainer don't put any pressure on me and I know he has pace to get me out of trouble. I didn't have a lot of room but he stuck his head out for me. It's brilliant because I picked this lad up as a spare one day in Lingfield, I had to drop him out and bide my time and the relationship formed from there.”

Ryan rode Annaf for the first time in January, 2023 in a Lingfield handicap and the two embarked on a three-race win skein. They went their separate way for a few months and reunited for a third in the G1 King's Stand S. last June at Royal Ascot. A fourth in a Group 3 at Sandown ensued and the two separated once again before finally reuniting in September. They notched two nose wins, including in the Oct. 7 G3 John Guest Racing Bengough S. at Ascot, and were last seen finishing second on the all-weather at Lingfield Feb. 4.

“Rossa gave him a great ride,” said Appleby. “All down to Rossa, not my training. He keeps improving and keeps surprising us. God knows where we go next. He has got an invite to Japan, so possibly we'll go there next. We always thought he was good horse who'd get better with age and he might not be finished yet. The sky is the limit.”

Pedigree Notes

Haras Du Petit Tellier's Muhaarar (GB), new to the operation for 2024 after standing at Haras des Faune, is the sire of Annaf and 23 other black-type winners. The son of Oasis Dream (GB), himself a multiple Group 1 winner and crack English sprinter, famously sired the exacta in the 2021 G1 QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares S. Also among his dozen group winners is last year's G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains winner Marhaba Ya Sanafi (Ire). In addition, his Byline (GB) was third in the 1351 Turf Sprint, giving Muhaarar a one-three finish in Saturday's race.

Damsire Storm Cat, leading broodmare sire in the U.S. three times, has 308 stakes winners out of his daughters, including a long list of champions. Interestingly, two of Muhaarar's 12 group winners are out of Storm Cat-line mares, including Paris Peacock (Ire), a group winner in Ireland in 2022 and graded stakes-placed in the U.S. last year.

Annaf is a fourth-generation Shadwell-bred. His dam, one of the top fillies in Ireland in her day, also produced English stakes winner Mushir (GB), who is by Muhaarar's sire, Oasis Dream. Her last reported foal is the sophomore colt Mitwaa (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}), a winner in Qatar. Shadwell also bred and raced Muhaarar. Fosnic Racing picked up Annaf as an unraced 2-year-old for 16,000gns at the 2021 Tattersalls Autumn Horses-in-Training Sale.

Saturday, King Abdulaziz (Riyadh), Saudi Arabia
SAUDI NATIONAL BANK 1351 TURF SPRINT-G2, $2,000,000, King Abdulaziz, 2-24, NH4yo/up, SH3yo/up, 1351mT, 1:17.88, gd.
1–ANNAF (IRE), 125, h, 5, by Muhaarar (GB)
                1st Dam: Shimah (Hwt. 2yo Filly-Ire, SW & G1SP-Ire,
                                $161,479), by Storm Cat
                2nd Dam: Sayedat Alhadh, by Mr. Prospector
                3rd Dam: Muhbubh, by Blushing Groom (Fr)
(16,000gns HRA '21 TATOCT). O-Fosnic Racing; B-Shadwell
Estate Company, Ltd. (Ire); T-Michael Appleby; J-Rossa Ryan;
$1,200,000. Lifetime Record: GSW & G1SP-Eng, 26-8-3-3,
$1,590,994. *1/2 to Mushir (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), SW-Eng
& SP-UAE, $171,335. Werk Nick Rating: B. Click for the
   eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or the
   free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–La La Christine (Jpn), 121, m, 6, Mikki Isle (Jpn)–Super
Madame (Jpn), by Tanino Gimlet (Jpn). (¥18,900,000 Ylg '19
JBBAAUG). O-Fujii Kosan Co., Ltd.; B-; T-T. Saito; J-C. Demuro;
$400,000.
3–Byline (GB), 125, g, 7, Muhaarar (GB)–Lauren Louise (GB), by
Tagula (Ire). 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (140,000gns Ylg '18
TATOCT; 110,000gns HRA '20 TATOCT). O-Al Adiyat Racing; B- (GB); T-A. Smith; J-G. Mosse; $200,000.
Margins: 3/4, 3/4, HF.
Also Ran: Win Greatest (Jpn), Matilda Picotte (Ire), Aguri (Jpn), King Gold (Fr), Raaed (Ire), Jumby (Ire), Bathrat Leon (Jpn), Dr Zempf (GB), Art Power (Ire), Mysterious Night (Ire), Cold Front (GB). Click for the JCSA chart and video.

ANNAF for !!

A dream run up the rails under @Rossaryan15 in the G2 @snbalahli 1351 Turf Sprint.

Huge congrats, @MickApplebyUK #TheSaudiCup pic.twitter.com/gFVWvpW8R9

— The Saudi Cup (@thesaudicup) February 24, 2024

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The son of Muhaarar, who won the G3 Bengough S. in October, ran second in a Lingfield listed race earlier this month, a prep for the G2 Saudi National Bank 1351 Turf Sprint on Saturday. He galloped 1200 metres Wednesday morning.

“Annaf worked over six furlongs [1200m] on the grass this morning and everyone is happy,”Appleby said. “My two horses will have an easy day tomorrow and canter again on Friday. Annaf didn't get as good a draw as Roberto Escobarr but I'm not too worried. I think he'll be able to get across from 12 and slot in behind the leaders hopefully.”

Roberto Escobarr, who spend 1600 metres over the grass on Wednesday, will break from gate three in the G3 Longines Red Sea Turf H. over 3000 metres, also on grass, on Saturday. The multiple Group 3 winner landed the G3 Premio St Leger Italiano in November, and was last engaged taking fourth in a Newcastle all-weather handicap on New Year's Day.

“He worked this morning over a mile [1600m] and everyone is happy so he will have an easy day tomorrow and canter again on Friday,” Appleby reported. “He has drawn in stall three, which is a good draw for him as I'd imagine the plan will be to jump out and make the running.”

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“Well done to Archie for supplementing him and stepping him back in trip, which he's really relished today,” Doyle said. “All credit to Mick Murphy, who rides him every day because he's really turned a corner in the last few weeks. You can tell. The way he travelled into it was unbelievable and he quickened up nicely.”

Having beaten Persian Force (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), Royal Scotsman (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) and Blackbeard (Ire) (No Nay Never) in a star-studded Coventry, Bradsell's career went briefly South as he injured himself when fourth in the G1 Phoenix S. at The Curragh and he many have needed his comeback when third in the G3 Commonwealth Cup Trial S. here in April. Beaten 9 1/4 lengths by the Phoenix hero Little Big Bear (Ire) (No Nay Never) when third again in Haydock's G2 Sandy Lane S., this was his first try at five and the early signs showed why connections had come to that decision.

Whereas Jason Hart was moving on the eventual runner-up two out, Hollie still sat motionless as they pulled away from the rest up the centre with the speed dying out on both wings. Soon in command, Bradsell drifted left to intimidate Highfield Princess and while there was definite interference, the officials saw enough to let Archie Watson's colt keep the race and banish memories of his heartbreaking loss of the 2021 G1 Commonwealth Cup with Dragon Symbol (GB) (Cable Bay {Ire}) in the stewards' room.

“When Dragon Symbol had the race taken away, it was terrible and I know we're seen as a big yard, but to be winning a Group 1 here is the best thing on the planet,” the trainer said. “There was dread when that bing-bong happened, especially having just been chinned in the Coventry, but it's amazing and I'm so pleased for everyone involved. This horse was like a bull in a china shop over the winter and Michael Murphy had to put up with a lot. He had to trot for months and Michael does a fantastic job with him, day in, day out.”

“We just felt this year he was showing a lot more speed in his races and not getting home over six,” Watson added. “I thought we'd get a proper tow into the race today and I didn't want to sound arrogant, but nothing could take us off the bridle until deep into the race and it was kind of what we really felt with him. I thought he showed up best of the horses in the Commonwealth Trial and got a bit tired late, but I knew it couldn't have been tiredness in the Sandy Lane so it was an easy decision to pull back to five. I imagine the Nunthorpe will be the plan.”

John Quinn is considering coming back on Saturday for the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee S. “Jason thought she was getting going again and he's certainly got a case,” he said. “The only thing that's holding us back is–and I don't make excuses, whatever the result is, well done to whoever–when you can run her and run her, she's better. If she ran well today, Saturday was always right in mind. We are leaving her down tonight and I'll go and have a look at her–if she's okay, she will run.”

Pedigree Notes

Bradsell's Listed Radley S.-winning dam Russian Punch, whose 2-year-old colt Tribal Rhythm (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}) was a £150,000 purchase by Manor House Farm at the Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale. From the extended family of the G1 Phoenix S. runner-up Run To Jenny (Ire) (Runnett {GB}), her 2022 foal by Twilight Son (GB) unfortunately died.

Tuesday, Royal Ascot, Britain
KING'S STAND S.-G1, £627,500, Ascot, 6-20, 3yo/up, 5fT, 1:00.91, gd.
1–BRADSELL (GB), 127, c, 3, by Tasleet (GB)
1st Dam: Russian Punch (GB) (SW-Eng), by Archipenko
2nd Dam: Punch Drunk (GB), by Beat Hollow (GB)
3rd Dam: Bebe De Cham (GB), by Tragic Role
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. TDN Rising Star. (12,000gns Ylg '21 TATSOM; £47,000 2yo '22 GOFTY). O-Victorious Racing; B-Mrs D O'Brien (GB); T-Archie Watson; J-Hollie Doyle. £355,855. Lifetime Record: 6-3-0-2, $612,660. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Highfield Princess (Fr), 130, m, 6, Night Of Thunder (Ire)–Pure Illusion (Ire), by Danehill. (29,000gns RNA Ylg '18 TATDEY). O/B-Trainers House Enterprises Ltd (FR); T-John Quinn. £134,913.
3–Annaf (Ire), 133, c, 4, Muhaarar (GB)–Shimah, by Storm Cat. 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. (16,000gns 2yo '21 TATAHI). O-Fosnic Racing; B-Shadwell Estate Company Ltd (IRE); T-Michael Appleby. £67,519.
Margins: 1, 1 3/4, HF. Odds: 14.00, 1.75, 50.00.
Also Ran: Twilight Calls (GB), Equilateral (GB), Desert Cop (GB), Marshman (GB), Mitbaahy (Ire), Existent (GB), Raasel (GB), Coolangatta (Aus), Vadream (GB), Mooneista (Ire), Happy Romance (Ire), Dramatised (Ire), Twilight Gleaming (Ire), Cannonball (Aus). Scratched: Chipstead (GB), Manaccan (GB).

@HollieDoyle1 is on the board at #RoyalAscot 2023! Bradsell wins the King's Stand! #RoyalAscot pic.twitter.com/DaveGbhEEr

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 20, 2023

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All horses sold will go on to compete in the £30,000 All-Weather Challenge, where the prize fund will be shared amongst the top three horses based on points scored between Jan. 17 – Apr 28. Points can be registered at any all-weather races held at Chelmsford, Dundalk, Lingfield, Newcastle, Southwell, Kempton and Wolverhampton.

Also Sunday, ThoroughBid will also stage a six-horse draft in the January NH Pop-Up Sale Sunday.

“Every sale is another step forward for us and we're delighted to have again secured the backing of some of racing's top yards for the All-Weather Sale,” James Richardson, CEO of ThoroughBid. “The NH Pop-Up Sale wasn't something that we'd set out to offer originally, but the success of the Christmas Sale left us busy fielding enquiries from vendors with nice National Hunt prospects.”

All-Weather Sale catalogue: https://thoroughbid.co.uk/collection/13 – Bidding 6 – 7p.m.

NH Pop-Up Sale catalogue: https://thoroughbid.co.uk/collection/15 – Bidding 5 – 6p.m.

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