Mick Appleby is hoping to cap another brilliant season with a first Finals Day winner at Newcastle on Good Friday, April 7.
The Rutland handler will be crowned All-Weather Champion Trainer for the seventh time and is on course for his most successful campaign in terms of winners, having already equalled his 2020/21 tally of 59.
With Christophe Ferland opting not to travel over Loubeisien, Annaf is likely to go off favourite in the BetUK All-Weather Sprint Championships as he seeks a fourth straight win this season.
After impressing under top-weight in a handicap on his comeback, the four-year-old proved a cut above the opposition in a conditions race at Kempton Park before repelling Diligent Harry by a neck in the Listed BetUK Kachy Stakes at Lingfield Park in early February.
Appleby has sent out 18 runners on Finals Day, with Edraak faring best when going down by a short-head in this race 12 months ago.
The trainer said: “Annaf is going really well at the moment. We have freshened him up since the Kachy Stakes and he is all ready to go.
“I would like to think that he has a very good chance. He seems to be going from strength to strength this season and can hopefully take another step forward.
“Even though he has not grown much in the last year, he has definitely got a lot stronger – it’s just a shame that he is so small! He is only 15.2hh but has lots of speed and plenty of ability.
“He is probably the best chance we have had of winning one of the big ones on Finals Day. Edraak ran very well in the race last year and, with a bit of luck, hopefully Annaf can do it.”
Appleby’s Finals Day team is also set to include rapid improver Zealot, who has won seven of his last eight starts, and all-weather specialist United Front.
He added: “At the moment, the plan is for Zealot to take his chance in the Easter Classic. He takes his racing well and has come out of Chelmsford in good order. He is an interesting horse as he just keeps on improving.
“United Front ran a couple good races on the dirt in Dubai and travelled back really well. He has the option of the Easter Classic or the All-Weather Mile Championships and we will make a decision on which race he goes for later in the week.
“Michaela’s Boy will go for the All-Weather 3 Year Old Championships. He ran in France recently but you can put a line through that as the ground was absolutely bottomless and he hated it. It is just a shame this race is over six furlongs as I think he is better over five.
“King Of Bavaria is a nice horse and could join Annaf in the Sprint. Lingfield did not really suit him in the Kachy Stakes but he ran a lot better last time up at Newcastle. Whether he runs yet, I am not sure as he is also in at Musselburgh on Saturday.”