Haafhd ready for Palace showdown

Connections of 2000 Guineas winner Haafhd are looking forward to the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot and a showdown with Bachelor Duke, winner of the Irish equivalent.

Following Haafhd’s triumph in the UltimateBet.com-sponsored Classic at Newmarket, his trainer Barry Hills had him ready for a trip to Ireland, but owner Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum decided to hold fire for the Royal meeting.

The Curragh race went to the James Toller-trained Bachelor Duke, who was a head behind Haafhd in last year’s Dewhurst and five lengths further back in the Guineas.

The pair are set to clash once more next Tuesday and Angus Gold, racing manager to Sheikh Hamdan, is expecting Bachelor Duke to pose a serious threat.

“I don’t think it mattered either way to us whether we went to Ireland or not, but I was impressed with the winner and his form ties in with us,” he said today.

“Haafhd has been working well since Newmarket and Barry is very pleased with him. He’ll have his final serious workout either tomorrow or on Wednesday and then head to Ascot.

“For my money, Bachelor Duke will be a major danger and I have a lot of time for him.”