Roxburgh Breeder Punches Above Weight in Group 2 Thriller
By Brad Reid

For many breeders, watching a filly they raised power past the competition in a Group 2 stakes race is the kind of moment you bottle. For Central Otago’s Bill Bain – known to many simply as “Bunter” – it was just that, a surreal thrill, tinged with a hint of bittersweet.

“I just couldn’t believe it,” said Bain, still buzzing from the result. “We’ve won a Group One before with Pembrook’s Delight, but there’s nothing better than breeding them. It’s different and in a way, better,” he said, speaking of the Delightful Lady classic winner, Cool For Cats.

Bain, who lives in Roxburgh, admits the only disappointment came before the starting gates even opened. The filly that stole the show had changed names since he sold her – a minor detail for most, but not for a breeder trying to build a brand.

“I was trying to build up the Wattlebank name, you see. Both of them have been changed,” he said, referring to two fillies he bred that now race under different monikers. “But that’s alright. I know the owners, and they’ve got the right to do that. Nigel (Armstrong) does a great job promoting the sport and I am looking forward to catching up with him on Friday when I come up to see Wag Star in action,” he said.

Cool For Cats upsets the apple cart at Alexandra Park last Friday night

What they also had, evidently, was a high opinion of the Always B Miki filly, lining her up in black type company with confidence. And rightly so. From a seemingly hopeless position on the fence, she exploded late to nab them on the line in a thrilling finish that left even her breeder unsure if she’d got there.

“It was tight, wasn’t it? I didn’t even know she’d won at first,” Bain laughed.

The win was the latest feather in the cap for Bain’s beloved mare Bunter’s Dream (Bettor’s Delight), a name that blends the breeder’s lifelong nickname with a nod to her pedigree through Western Dream. She was no champion on the track – placing 16 times but never quite breaking through – but Bain saw her potential from the start.

“She was well-bred and offered to me as a weanling by Paul Davies. I paid $40,000 for her, which was good money back then, but you don’t get quality bloodlines like those cheap.”

Despite her modest race record, he always believed in her as a broodmare.

“She was always thereabouts, just didn’t finish off her races. But I always thought she had the makings with her breeding and she did sneak a win as well.”

That belief has paid off – and not just once. Bain had previous success with Always B Miki when he bred Onedin Miki, a pacer he recalls fondly from the stallion’s first New Zealand crop.

“He went alright. Solid type. I always liked what Miki left,” Bain said. “And Bunter’s Dream’s a solid mare without being too big, so I felt that something with a bit more size wouldn’t hurt.”

His mares, and all mating decisions, are managed in partnership with Donna Williamson who operates a wonderful boutique operation, Belmont Park, on the outskirts of Christchurch.

“I wouldn’t be without Donna. She’s top notch. I talk everything through with her – who I’m mating, what’s next. I leave it all in her hands.”

While his involvement with the recent Group 2 winner ended at the sales ring – and for just $16,000 at that – Bain harbours no regrets.

“What was I going to do? Break her in myself? I just thought, take the 16 and move on. You’ve got to meet the market.”

That pragmatism is the hallmark of a seasoned breeder. “You can’t make anyone pay more than what they’re willing to. I’m just happy for the new owners – pleased as a sandboy, really.”

Bain isn’t flooding the sales ring with foals, nor does he have a commercial-scale band. But with three mares in his small but select broodmare band, he’s focused on quality over quantity. Recent foals by Captain Crunch and Downbytheseaside are in development, with the former a half-brother to the Group 2-winning filly and now in work with Brent Gray.

“I retained a share in him. I like to have a wee hand in it. Keeps the interest there.”

As for racing, Bain makes time when he can – particularly if he’s got one in.

“When I go to the races, I like to be there in person,” he said. And when asked what his wife thought of their latest golden run, Bain chuckled, “She’s as excited as I am. And I think the bonus money might just soften the blow a little when I look at the wallet this month!”

For a man who says he’s “just down to earth,” there’s no doubt Bain is walking a little taller this week – even if the name on the racebook wasn’t the one he picked.