Annaf could be in line for more Middle Eastern riches after his lucrative success in the Saudi National Bank 1351 Turf Sprint.

The five-year-old had a busy and profitable season last year, consistently turning up in top sprints and holding his own when often starting at outsider’s odds.

He was fourth when beaten two and three-quarter lengths at 50-1 in the Duke of York Stakes, after which he was defeated by the same margin at the same price when third in the Group One King’s Stand at Royal Ascot.

Even when taking up the lower places in the Hackwood, the Hopeful Stakes and the Sprint Cup, he was never beaten more than three and a half lengths when stepping up to six furlongs.

At Doncaster, he moved back half a furlong in the Portland and under top weight he claimed his first win of the turf season, a success he then followed up when landing the Group Three Bengough Stakes at Ascot in October.

He made his seasonal debut at Lingfield at the start of February, placing second in the Listed Kachy Stakes behind Clive Cox’s Diligent Harry – who subsequently landed the Hever Sprint Stakes at Southwell on Saturday afternoon.

The Saudi Turf Sprint was Annaf’s next destination, edging up to just shy of seven furlongs in a deep race that included the reigning champion Bathrat Leon from Japan, Kieran Cotter’s speedy filly Matilda Picotte and Tim Easterby’s British Champions Sprint Stakes winner Art Power.

Under a canny ride from Rossa Ryan having started in stall 12, they found space on the inside rail and were gaining ground constantly.

As others faded Annaf began to advance and ultimately crossed the line three-quarters of a length ahead of Japan’s La La Christine to take home nearly £1million in prize-money.

Appleby said: “He’s all good, he’s come out of the race fine.

“He did it really well, we were quite surprised at the price of him to be honest.

“He ran really well in the Kachy Stakes, we gave him a prep run in that and he went very well.

“The winner of that (Diligent Harry) came out and won the Listed race at Southwell, so the form has really stacked up.

“He’s always run well in good quality races and he’s always been thereabouts.”

A visit to Japan was mentioned in the immediate aftermath of the Saudi success, but connections have decided that the meeting comes too soon and he will instead return to the Middle East for the Al Quoz Sprint on Dubai World Cup night.

“He’ll more than likely go out to Dubai on World Cup night, he was invited to Japan, but we’ve decided not to go there as the race might come too soon for him and there’s a lot of travelling as well,” Appleby said.

“He’ll come home and then probably about a week before the race, he’ll fly out to Dubai.

“Then I imagine then it’ll be Royal Ascot, Glorious Goodwood, all the big meetings.”

Appleby’s other sprint star is the rapid Big Evs, winner of the Windsor Castle, Molecomb, Flying Childers and then the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint last year.

The colt has returned to training after his winter break and is progressing well as connections ponder where to begin his three-year-old campaign.

“He’s good, he’s wintered really well and he’s in training,” Appleby said.

“We’ve not really made our plans yet with him, but he’s on the go so he’ll run early season, we just don’t know where yet.”

Rossa Ryan rode his 200th winner of the year at Lingfield on Wednesday where he partnered a double.

Ryan, who celebrated the first Group One success of his career in the July Cup on Shaquille, joined an elite list in doing so with the likes of Sir Gordon Richards, Pat Eddery, Frankie Dettori and Kieren Fallon among those to have previously achieved the feat.

He won the Find More Big Deals At BetUK Handicap on Ninth Life (11-4 favourite) for Dr Richard Newland and Jamie Insole and then quickly followed up on John Jenkins’ Sunset In Paris (3-1) in the Always Gamble Responsibly With BetUK Handicap.

“I put a lot of pressure on myself really, even though a couple of little things haven’t worked. We’ve had plenty of winners the last couple of weeks but there were a couple I thought maybe if I’d done something different, it may have been a different result,” Ryan told Sky Sports Racing.

“It’s a big weight off my shoulders really, because I haven’t planned any of this. It was only when we came back from the November break I was 16 away from it and while my agent didn’t let on, he just hinted and some of the older jockeys told me to go for it and they’ve been a great help.

“Ed Dunlop said to me the other day to come back after Christmas and make sure I get it done and that I might not be in this position again. Luckily we got it done before Christmas, so I’m very pleased.

“It’s been a season of dreams really. The season is very long, especially because I started in January, but when you are popping in winners it helps.

“I’m still pinching myself I’ve hit 200, finished third in the championship and rode a Group One winner. I don’t know how to sum up in one word what to say, I can only thank all my trainers and owners and my agent – and my girlfriend who puts up with all my mess!

“When I passed 150 I never thought about getting 200, so I’m speechless really.”

David Egan has been announced as the new retained jockey for Amo Racing, signing a two-year contract with Kia Joorabchian’s racing operation.

Rossa Ryan and most recently Kevin Stott have previously held the position of first jockey for the ambitious Amo team who enjoyed their first Royal Ascot and Group One victories in 2023.

The position has been vacant since Stott was released shortly after the Irish Champions Festival where star performer King Of Steel could only finish fourth to Auguste Rodin with Amo electing to book the ‘best available’ jockey for the final months of the 2023 campaign.

That allowed Frankie Dettori to link up with King Of Steel on British Champions Day where Roger Varian’s colt helped provide a thrilling swansong to the Italian’s career in the UK and now it is the opportunity of Varian’s primary rider Egan to get first call on Amo’s wealth of talent.

“I’m very pleased to announce David as our first jockey,” said Joorabchian in a statement from Amo.

“We have had a brilliant ongoing relationship over the years and used David consistently on our horses, going back to Mojo Star’s brilliant second in the Derby.

“We now feel it’s the perfect time to consolidate our team and having David on board will be a valuable addition.”

He went on: “David is a talented, ambitious jockey with experience at the top of the sport having won races of the highest calibre all over the world, and growing up as Roger Varian’s stable jockey has given him invaluable experience and maturity.

“Aware of the size of our organisation, we must implement systems to ensure longevity and I have tremendous confidence in this decision. Having David on board for the next two years will help us develop long-term stability as a team.

“I would also like to thank Roger Varian for his tremendous support, confidence and blessing in this decision.”

Egan was crowned champion apprentice in 2017 and got his first taste of top-level success when riding as retained jockey to Prince Faisal, winning the Saudi Cup, Dubai Sheema Classic and Juddmonte International Stakes aboard Mishriff.

He has since claimed a first Classic aboard Varian’s Eldar Eldarov in the St Leger, with the combination also striking at the Curragh in the Irish equivalent in September.

Egan said: “I’m delighted to have signed a two-year contract with Amo Racing. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Roger and Hanako Varian, and all the Varian Stable team.

“They have been like family to me since I first started in racing, and I’d just like to thank them for their friendship and support over the last seven years.

“I am very excited about the new challenge ahead and I look forward to being part of the Amo Racing team.”

Going The Distance could have a bright future having flourished in the mud to claim the British EBF Future Stayers Oath Novice Stakes on a wet afternoon at Nottingham.

Trained by Ralph Beckett, the son of Lope De Vega started his career by finishing third to David Menuisier’s Futurity Trophy-bound Devil’s Point at Ffos Las and then returned to the Welsh venue to open his account with a victory which was much more cosy than the winning distance of a neck would suggest.

Sent off the 11-8 favourite to add to his tally at Colwick Park, the Marc Chan-owned youngster took advantage of the late absence of the well-regarded Midair to hold off Hughie Morrison’s newcomer Surrey Fire at the finish.

“He knew his job today and I thought after Ffos Las (his first start) he would know his job,” said winning jockey Rossa Ryan.

“He was good (last time) when Laura (Pearson) rode him and he impressed me today, he’s just a good, honest horse. When I gave him the option to go, he stuck his head down and galloped and he doesn’t overdo things, he just jumps and travels at whatever momentum you want him at.

“He’s perfect really to ride and he’s done it well and I would say he looks like he has a bit to grow.

“I don’t think heavy ground is essential for him but he’s able to quicken on it. I imagine a trip next year won’t be a problem to him.”

The victory was part two of a double for the jockey who had earlier claimed the opening Trustatrader Apply Today EBF Novice Stakes aboard World Of Darcy for John Ryan.

Second in the National Stakes earlier in the season, the Soldier’s Call colt was in action over seven furlongs in the Tattersalls Stakes only two weeks ago, but thrived for the drop in class to register a confidence boosting success at 7-2.

The winning trainer said: “He’s only a small horse but his heart is in the right place and he can knuckle down in all sorts of ground. I don’t think he liked it really but was good enough to get through it.

“When we ran him over seven, Luke (Morris, jockey) said drop him back to six and get him some confidence because he had had a few hard days at work. Luke was right and Rossa gave him the perfect ride there.”

World Of Darcy holds an entry in York’s Rockingham Stakes on Saturday afternoon and that Listed event is one option connections will consider.

John Ryan added: “We’ve got a big entry at the weekend but we’ll look at that and see what the ground does. I think he won easily enough but the ground does drag it out of him and Rossa said he did empty out quick on that ground. But we’ll see how he recovers and make a decision tomorrow.”

Harry Eustace’s Divine Comedy (4-1) continued her rise through the ranks by picking up her third win of the season in the Trustatrader Fully Vetted Tradespeople Fillies’ Handicap, while there was a first success for the William Muir and Chris Grassick-trained Go Daddy (7-2), who showed plenty of heart to pick up the British Stallion Studs EBF Nursery Handicap.

“That was brilliant and we thought we had deserved a win earlier in the season,” said Grassick.

“William had selected him from the breeze-ups and did a fantastic job of going and securing the horse. He is busy buying new ones at the sales and will be delighted.

“Its a lovely story for the owners. They have been with William a very long time and this means a lot to them. They’ve had a lot of nice horses and lost a horse earlier this year. So to have a horse go and do this for them has really helped keep the dream alive for everybody and it will mean a lot to William. I’m sure he will have a tear in his eye at the sales.”

The ground deteriorating to heavy helped William Stone’s Dashing Roger (7-2 favourite) make all for a five-and-a-half-length triumph in the Trustatrader For Tradespeople You Can Trust Handicap.

“He’s just been waiting for this ground,” said Stone.

“He loves soft or heavy ground and it’s hard to find. If we can find the ground, he will keep running.”

David O’Meara’s Stressfree (100-30 favourite) built on a second at Ayr recently to open his UK account in the Trustatrader Approved And Reviewed Trades People Handicap, while the concluding Trustatrader You Can Trust Our Traders Apprentice Handicap went the way of the Olly Williams-trained Foursome (5-1).