Annaf back to full health ahead of Sprint Cup comeback

Saudi sprint hero nearly lost his life on a trip to Dubai in the spring, but is now raring to go ahead of his comeback in Haydock’s Betfair Sprint Cup Stakes on Saturday.

It may be Big Evs who garners all the headlines from Mick Appleby’s yard, but it is hard to fault the career achievements of his sprinting stablemate, who enjoyed a fine end to the 2023 season when claiming the Portland at Doncaster and the Group Three Bengough Stakes at Ascot.

He was last seen taking his form to the next level when striking it rich in the $2million Saudi National Bank 1351 Turf Sprint, but things took a turn for the worse when travelling to Dubai in an attempt to supplement his Riyadh win in the Al Quoz Sprint on World Cup night.

The five-year-old took ill on the flight to the Middle East, developing pneumonia, which briefly put his life in danger and has meant he has been on the slow road to recovery ever since.

However, he is now in a position to regather the momentum he was beginning to build and despite being set a stiff task on his return to action, his handler feels this is the right level for the son of Muhaarar to compete at.

Appleby said: “He’s got over all his issues and seems in good order. He might possibly need the run but he’s as well as we can get him – hopefully he goes to Haydock and runs well.

“He developed pneumonia on the flight over to Dubai, because he was on there for so long, I think. He got really sick, it was touch and go at one point whether he was going to make it or not. Luckily, he’s made a full recovery and is in good form now.

“Whatever he does on Saturday, he will improve on anyway and I suppose this is his level now, so it’s worth having a go. As long as he comes back sound, that is the main thing.”

Annaf is a general 16-1 shot for the six-furlong Group One event, including with sponsors Betfair.

Kevin Ryan’s Commonwealth Cup champion Inisherin currently heads the bookmakers’ lists from Karl Burke’s Elite Status.