Haafhd (foaled 18 February 2001) is a retired British Thoroughbred racehorse and active stallion, best known for winning the 2000 Guineas Stakes and Champion Stakes 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. Both his parents had been successful racehorses for Hamdan Al Maktoum; his sire is the Dewhurst Stakes winner Alhaarth, whilst his dam Al Bahathri won the Irish 1,000 Guineas. He is a half-brother to the Challenge Stakes winner Munir and the Coronation Stakes runner-up Hasbah. The colt, whose name is derived from an Arabic word (حامية) meaning "protector" was sent into training with Barry Hills at Lambourn, 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 Washington Singer Stakes 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, 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. 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, confirming himself as a leading contender for the 2000 Guineas Stakes 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, 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, Grey Swallow and Whipper. After the race, Barry Hills ruled out the possibility of a Derby 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