Hermes salutes for Hains and Arrowfield

Victorian breeder Cathy Hains has forged a successful association with Arrowfield Stud and their latest winner arrived on Friday night when Hermes saluted in a three-way finish at Moonee Valley.

Hermes (4g Flying Spur – Viva La Diva by Barathea) races under the Burnewang North Pastoral banner for Hains.  He was racing for just the third time for trainer Sean Dwyer after two placings at Bendigo in October.

Champion Arrowfield sire Flying Spur got him from Viva La Diva who was a Flemington stakes winner for Cathy’s parents David and Helen Hains.  

The family’s name is synonymous with Cox Plate icon Kingston Town, Australian Horse of the Year Rose of Kingston and Melbourne Cup winner Kingston Rule.

Cathy catalogued Hermes as part of Burnewang North’s first draft at the 2009 Inglis Easter yearling sale but he was withdrawn prior to the sale.

After a low-key start that year, BNP finished as the leading vendor at the 2010 Melbourne Premier with 7 lots averaging $117,143.  Among them were yearlings by Arrowfield sires Starcraft, Flying Spur and Snitzel.

Burnawang North topped the 2011 Melbourne Premier with a $340,000 Fastnet Rock colt from the G2 winning Spinning World mare Coupe.  He has been named Willis and is a member of the Team Williams crew at Mt Macedon.

“He’s a lovely colt and we are very pleased he will be staying in Victoria with Lloyd and Nick Williams,” Hains said.  “No doubt, he will be given every opportunity with their professional operation.

“I’m very proud of our results.  We had the highest prices for three of the six sires across the Premier Sale and that’s a tribute to the care and attention by the all team here.”

Hains launched BNP five years ago on prime acreage fronting the Campaspe River between Elmore and Rochester in Victoria.

The Hains surname and Kingston signature gave her a head start but, equally, there was pressure to perform from the outset.

Burnawang North has lifted the bar again for the 2012 Melbourne Premier.  Its draft for Oaklands Junction includes a Magnus half-sister to Hermes.  

Cathy Hains has a Group 1 pedigree and it’s only a matter of time before she breeds a Group 1 winner of her own carrying the BNP brand.