Haafhd (foaled 18 February 2001) is a retired British
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are c ...
racehorse and active
stallion
A stallion is a male horse that has not been gelded (castrated).
Stallions follow the conformation and phenotype of their breed, but within that standard, the presence of hormones such as testosterone may give stallions a thicker, "cresty" nec ...
, best known for winning the
2000 Guineas Stakes
The 2000 Guineas Stakes is a Group 1 flat race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres) and scheduled to take place each year at ...
and
Champion Stakes
The Champion Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlong ...
in 2004.
Background
Haafhd, a bright chestnut horse standing 15 2½
hands high (1.59 m) with a white star, was bred by his owner's
Shadwell Stud
Shadwell Racing is the Thoroughbred horse racing operations of Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Introduced to Thoroughbred flat racing while a student in the United Kingdom, Sheikh Hamdan esta ...
. Both his parents had been successful racehorses for
Hamdan Al Maktoum
Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum ( ar, حمدان بن راشد أل مكتوم, '; 25 December 1945 – 24 March 2021) was an Emirati politician, the deputy ruler of Dubai and the minister of finance and industry of the United Arab Emirates ...
; his sire is the
Dewhurst Stakes
The Dewhurst Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old colts and fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 7 furlongs (1,408 metres), ...
winner
Alhaarth
Alhaarth (24 February 1993 – 29 July 2015) was a champion Thoroughbred racehorse and sire, bred in Ireland, but trained in the United Kingdom and Dubai during a racing career that lasted from 1995 to 1997. He was named European Champion Two- ...
, whilst his dam Al Bahathri won the
Irish 1,000 Guineas
The Irish 1,000 Guineas is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland open to three-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run at the Curragh over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres), and it is scheduled to ...
. He is a half-brother to the
Challenge Stakes winner Munir and the
Coronation Stakes
The Coronation Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old fillies. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 7 furlong and 213 yards (1,603 metres), and it is schedul ...
runner-up Hasbah.
[Haafhd. Extended pedigree](_blank)
The colt, whose name is derived from an
Arabic
Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic languages, Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C ...
word (حامية) meaning "protector"
was sent into training with
Barry Hills
Barry Hills (born 2 April 1937) is a retired British thoroughbred horse trainer. He lives in Lambourn, England.
Biography
Barry Hills had three sons in his first marriage, to Maureen Newson: John, Michael, and Richard. John (died 2014) was a ho ...
at
Lambourn
Lambourn is a village and civil parish in Berkshire, England. It lies just north of the M4 Motorway between Swindon and Newbury, and borders Wiltshire to the west and Oxfordshire to the north. After Newmarket it is the largest centre of ra ...
, and was ridden in all his races by
Richard Hills.
Racing career
2003: two-year-old season
Haafhd began his racing career with a win in a maiden race at Newmarket in August 2003, and showed himself to be a colt of Group race potential with an "impressive" five length win in the
Listed
Listed may refer to:
* Listed, Bornholm, a fishing village on the Danish island of Bornholm
* Listed (MMM program), a television show on MuchMoreMusic
* Endangered species in biology
* Listed building, in architecture, designation of a historicall ...
Washington Singer Stakes
The Denford Stakes is a Listed flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old horses. It is run at Newbury over a distance of 7 furlongs (1,408 metres), and it is scheduled to take place eac ...
two weeks later. He was made odds-on favourite for the
Champagne Stakes at Doncaster in September, but could finish only third behind Lucky Story. On his final appearance as a juvenile, he finished third in
Dewhurst Stakes
The Dewhurst Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old colts and fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 7 furlongs (1,408 metres), ...
, behind
Milk It Mick, a horse he had already defeated twice, and Three Valleys.
In the International Classification of two-year-olds, published in January 2004, Haafhd was allotted a figure of 115, rating him the tenth best colt of the year, six pounds below the Champion
Bago
Bago may refer to:
Places Myanmar
* Bago, Myanmar, a city and the capital of the Bago Region
* Bago District, a district of the Bago Region
* Bago Region an administrative region
* Bago River, a river
* Bago Yoma or Pegu Range, a mountain rang ...
.
2004: three-year-old season
On his three-year-old debut Haafhd ran out a five length winner over Three Valleys in the
Craven Stakes
The Craven Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old colts and geldings. It is run over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres ...
, confirming himself as a leading contender for the
2000 Guineas Stakes
The 2000 Guineas Stakes is a Group 1 flat race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres) and scheduled to take place each year at ...
over the same course and distance sixteen days later. The Guardian's correspondent commented that "it is a long time... since a Craven was won in such a decisive fashion". In the
classic
A classic is an outstanding example of a particular style; something of lasting worth or with a timeless quality; of the first or highest quality, class, or rank – something that exemplifies its class. The word can be an adjective (a ''c ...
, Haafhd moved up to take the lead two furlongs out and, despite drifting right, won by one and three-quarter lengths from Snow Ridge,
Azamour
Azamour (8 March 2001 – 5 April 2014) was a Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He won four Group One races including the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes and was Europe's Champion Older Horse in 2005. At his peak, he was rated the thir ...
, Grey Swallow and Whipper.
After the race, Barry Hills ruled out the possibility of a
Derby
Derby ( ) is a city and unitary authority area in Derbyshire, England. It lies on the banks of the River Derwent in the south of Derbyshire, which is in the East Midlands Region. It was traditionally the county town of Derbyshire. Derby gai ...
challenge whilst comparing Haafhd favourably to his 1979 2000 Guineas winner
Tap On Wood. He also complimented the horse's temperament, calling him "a trainer's dream, so laid-back, with a great attitude to life".
These two excellent performances were followed by two disappointing efforts. In the
St James's Palace Stakes
The St James's Palace Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old colts. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 7 furlongs and 213 yards (1,603 metres). It is schedu ...
at Royal Ascot, he took the lead in the straight, but faded into fourth behind
Azamour
Azamour (8 March 2001 – 5 April 2014) was a Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He won four Group One races including the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes and was Europe's Champion Older Horse in 2005. At his peak, he was rated the thir ...
. A month later he made little impact in the
Sussex Stakes
The Sussex Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Goodwood over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres), and ...
, again fading in the closing stages to finish ninth of the eleven runners behind
Soviet Song
Soviet Song (18 February 2000 – 16 November 2015) was a racehorse bred and owned by Elite Racing Club. She was foaled on 18 February 2000, sired by Marju (IRE) out of Kalinka (IRE) (Soviet Star). She raced in England, Ireland and France du ...
.
His final start saw him return to his best form. Sent off a relatively unconsidered 12-1 shot in the
Champion Stakes
The Champion Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlong ...
he moved up to take the lead a furlong out and won by two and a half lengths from the filly Chorist, with Azamour back in third and good horses such as
Refuse to Bend
Refuse To Bend (17 March 2000 – 10 February 2012) was a Thoroughbred racehorse and sire.
Background
Refuse To Bend was a bay horse with a white star and white socks on his hind legs bred by his owner the Swiss businessman Walter Hae ...
, Norse Dancer,
Doyen
Doyen and doyenne (from the French word ''doyen'', ''doyenne'' in the feminine grammatical gender) is the senior ambassador by length of service in a particular country.
In the English language, the meaning of doyen (feminine form: doyenne) h ...
and Lucky Story amongst the also-rans. Barry Hills was visibly moved by the performance and called Haafhd "the best miler I have trained".
Four days after the Champion Stakes win, it was announced that Haafhd would be retired to stand at his owner's stud. The decision was announced by Hamdan Al Maktoum's racing manager Angus Gold who explained that although the owner would have liked to have kept the colt in training, he had "decided he was a very important cog in his breeding operation.".
Race record
.
Assessment
In the
2004 World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings, Haafhd was rated at 124, making him the seventh best horse in the world, and the best horse in the world on turf in the Mile and Intermediate categories.
He was given a rating of 129 by
Timeform
Timeform is a sports data and content provider located in Halifax, West Yorkshire, England. Founded in 1948, it provides systematic information on form to punters and others involved in the horse racing industry. The company was purchased by ...
in the same year.
Stud career
Since being retired to his owner's
Nunnery Stud, Haafhd has sired the winners of over 170 races. His best offspring is probably Silver Grecian, winner of the
Superlative Stakes.
Pedigree
References
{{2000 Guineas winners
2001 racehorse births
Racehorses trained in the United Kingdom
Racehorses bred in the United Kingdom
Thoroughbred family 9-e
2000 Guineas winners