Annaf
Annaf is the kind of horse that takes his time to show what he can do, but when he clicks, he does it in the biggest arenas. Now seven years old, he has won eight races from 49 starts — a 16 per cent win rate that doesn't sound spectacular until you look at where those wins have come. Two of them are at Ascot in top-level races, one was at Lingfield in a Class 1, and his trainer
Michael Appleby has watched him develop into a horse that thrives when the biggest invitations arrive. Last October, more than a year after his previous top-level win, Annaf returned to form at Ascot and has since added a remarkable victory abroad in Saudi Arabia — the kind of international success that puts a small training yard on the map.
Based on TrackLab's analysis
📊 Key numbers
Career totals for this horse
🔍 Full analysis
Our model's view, based on this horse's career and recent runs
The horse loves wet ground more than anything else, winning 2 of his 3 races on heavy going — that's a 67 per cent win rate on the worst ground, the sort of record that marks him out as a genuine mud lover. He is also a course specialist at Lingfield Park, with 2 wins from 4 races there, and he has always run well on normal conditions, winning 3 of 9 starts. His jockey Rossa Ryan has been the perfect partner; they have won 5 of their 12 races together, a 42 per cent partnership rate that is substantially better than his record overall. Appleby bought him unraced as a two-year-old from another trainer's yard and has been patient with him, allowing him to mature. That patience paid off with his first win at Newcastle in January 2022, and it has only grown since. These days, at top level and in big international races, Annaf is becoming a horse people expect to see winning.
⚡ Strengths and risks
What helps this horse and what to watch out for
✓ What works in their favour
✔ Excellent record on standard ground: 3 wins from 9 starts (33%)
✔ Excellent record on standard_to_slow ground: 2 wins from 5 starts (40%)
✔ Excellent record on soft ground: 2 wins from 3 starts (67%)
✔ Effective partnership with Rossa Ryan: 42% win rate together
⚠ What to watch out for
⚠ Poor record on good ground: 1 wins from 14 starts
⚠ Poor record on good_to_firm ground: 0 wins from 10 starts
⚠ Poor record on good_to_soft ground: 0 wins from 7 starts
⚠ Yet to win at York in 5 attempts
⚠ Yet to win at Haydock Park in 5 attempts
⚠ Struggles on RH Undulating tracks: 0 wins from 5 starts
🎯 Where this horse runs best
Results split by ground, distance, race level and track shape
🌧 Ground
Standard (all-weather)
Loves
Standard to slow (all-weather)
Loves
Good (a little give)
Avoids
Good to firm (fairly firm)
Avoids
Good to soft (some give)
Avoids
🏅 Race level
Class 2 (high-level)
Loves
Class 5 (entry-level)
Unknown
🏟 Track shape
Left-handed, tight turns
Loves
Right-handed, long straights
Likes
Left-handed, long straights
Ok
Left-handed, tight
Unknown
Right-handed, tight turns
Unknown
Right-handed, hilly
Avoids
📅 Recent runs
The last 10 races, most recent first
10 Oct
9th
York
5f – 6½f · Good_To_Soft · 22 runners
2 Oct
10th
Ascot
5f – 6½f · Good_To_Firm · 18 runners
12 Sep
4th
Doncaster
5f – 6½f · Good · 22 runners
22 Aug
15th
York
5f – 6½f · Good_To_Soft · 20 runners
1 Aug
11th
Goodwood
5f – 6½f · Good_To_Firm · 28 runners
11 Jul
7th
Ascot
5f – 6½f · Good_To_Firm · 16 runners
27 Jun
3rd
Newcastle
5f – 6½f · Standard_To_Slow · 14 runners
31 May
13th
Thirsk
5f – 6½f · Good · 14 runners
16 May
13th
Newbury
5f – 6½f · Good · 15 runners
25 Apr
6th
Leicester
5f – 6½f · Good_To_Firm · 13 runners
🏇 Jockeys
Every jockey who has ridden this horse, most rides first
🏟 Course record
Win rate at each course this horse has visited
| Course | Races | Results | Last run | Win rate |
|---|
| Newcastle Galloping |
8 |
2 wins, 3 seconds, 2 thirds, 1 other |
27 Jun |
25% |
| Ascot Galloping |
8 |
2 wins, 1 third, 5 other |
2 Oct |
25% |
| York Galloping |
5 |
5 other |
10 Oct |
0% |
| Haydock Park Galloping |
5 |
1 third, 4 other |
6 Sep |
0% |
| Lingfield Park Sharp |
4 |
2 wins, 1 second, 1 third |
2 Feb |
50% |
| Goodwood Undulating |
4 |
1 third, 3 other |
1 Aug |
0% |
| Doncaster Galloping |
3 |
1 win, 2 other |
12 Sep |
33.3% |
| Newbury Galloping |
3 |
1 third, 2 other |
16 May |
0% |
| Kempton Park Galloping |
2 |
1 win, 1 second |
19 Jan |
50% |
| Newmarket Galloping |
2 |
2 other |
26 Aug |
0% |
| Leicester Sharp |
1 |
1 other |
25 Apr |
0% |
| Chester Tight |
1 |
1 other |
12 Jul |
0% |
| Sandown Park Galloping |
1 |
1 other |
8 Jul |
0% |
| Salisbury Undulating |
1 |
1 third |
24 May |
0% |
| Thirsk Galloping |
1 |
1 other |
31 May |
0% |