Grand National-winning trainer Dr Richard Newland and training partner Jamie Insole are set to chase desert riches with their first international runner. In 2014 former GP Newland landed the biggest race of his career when 25-1 chance Pineau De Re captured the Grand National at Aintree. In August 2023 he entered into a training partnership with Jamie Insole and together have turned their Worcestershire yard into a Flat and jumps operation. So far they have trained 63 winners of more than £700,000 in prize-money. On Saturday Mirabad contested Europe’s richest handicap hurdle, the William Hill Hurdle, at Newbury and on February 22 Witness Stand will run for the stable in one of the world’s richest sprints in Saudi Arabia. Previously trained by Tom Clover, the Listed winner changed hands for 100,000gns at the horses-in-training sales and will make his debut for new connections in the £1.6 million 1351 Turf Sprint on the Saudi Cup card when he will be ridden by Kieran Shoemark. “I bought him with Saudi in mind,” said Insole. “It’s a no-brainer because it is costing us literally nothing to go out there. Everything is paid for and you are running for $2 million. I think it’s nearly $50,000 if you finish sixth. “It’s basically a free kick before the start of the season. He will be our first international runner and it puts the yard on a big stage.” The race was won 12 months ago by the Mick Appleby-trained Annaf who on ratings is 4lb inferior to Witness Stand. “He is the highest rated British horse in the field,” said Insole. Last year was Newland and Insole’s first full flat season in tandem and Insole said: “The first year was always going to be the hardest with 80 per cent of the Flat string being two-year-olds. “We still had 26 winners from the Flat string and this year we have nearly 70 Flat horses, 27 two-year-olds and a lot of three-year-olds so hopefully we can hit the ground rolling.” Annaf finished second to Marshman in his warm-up in the Kachy Stakes at Lingfield, a race in which he finished in the same position last year before triumphing in the $2million event at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh. His trainer Mick Appleby said: “He would have finished a bit closer had he not missed the break. He was beaten in this race last year before he went to Saudi though, so hopefully we head there with a good chance again. “He’s come out of the race well and is in good form and we now just need everything to go well in the next few weeks. The track there seems very fair and hopefully he gets a good draw for the race. Rossa (Ryan) will ride him once again.”