Warrnambool trainer Aaron Purcell is 33 fences and 5500 metres away from completing a protracted  mission to win the famous race with imported jumper Dhaafer.

They came close two years ago when Dhaafer was third to Banna Strand, but the English gelding suffered a tendon injury a month later.

Purcell set his sights on last year’s Annual with Dhaafer but he was racing against time and elected to give the eight-year-old another 12 months to recover from the injury.

Purcell had originally planned for Dhaafer to run in the 2012 race but his departure from the United Kingdom was delayed. Instead, he won a flat race at the carnival.

Today the 37-year-old trainer hopes his long-range quest delivers the ultimate prize — something he won in 2008 with Ginolad.

“We’ve been working hard to get him ready,” Purcell said. “He’s done a lot of work.”

Purcell would have preferred to have given Dhaafer more than two race starts this campaign but firm tracks have conspired against them.

“His last run at Ballarat was encouraging. He jumped well and was strong at the line,” he said. “Ginolad was the last runner other than Dhaafer I’ve had in the Annual. Being at Warrnambool it’s a race you want to be in and win.

“Sourcing the horse, training him for this race, it’s been a lot of effort. Third was a good result but it would be good to win it.”

A Dhaafer victory would be popular. He is raced by 37 owners from three states, with all planning to be trackside.

“He will make a lot of people happy if he wins,” Purcell said.

Purcell rates Patrick Payne’s pair of Lord Of The Song and Chaparro as the horses to beat, along with the John Wheeler-trained Seeking The Silver.