2026 Bhima Thoroughbreds Vendor Profile

Mike and Kate Fleming have been the custodians of Bhima Thoroughbreds since 2015. Bhima was established by Vivian Bath in 1953, and he'd been through hell as a prisoner in a Changi Prisoner of War camp during WWII. The property dates back to 1825 when the original land holder Dr William Bell Carlyle named it Invermein. Carlyle is unfortunately known for importing the cactus prickly pear to Australia. Invermein was subdivided in 1898 and a portion sold off and named Cliftlands. When Bath arrived in Australia, he purchased Cliftlands and rumour has it he named it after the phrase that kept him going during the war. "By Hell I'll Make Australia" – Bhima. Vivian's son David helped manage the property, using experience gained at the likes of Clairborne Stud in America and Australia's own Widden. Under Bath, Bhima was quickly established as a property that produced winners, standing Biscay from 1969.  Fast forward to the future, and the current owners Mike and Kate Fleming met while working at New Zealand's Cambridge Stud. Since acquiring Bhima Stud a decade ago, the farm continues to roll out the Gr1 winners with the likes of Giga Kick (see below), Imperatriz, Militarize, Tropical Squall, Forbidden Love, Heavens Above, and I Am A Star all coming from the Bhima Stud pastures. Imperatriz has since been inducted into the New Zealand Racing Hall Of Fame. Bred by Malaysian Dato Yap Kim San's Raffles Dancer (NZ) Pty Ltd, Imperatriz was raised at Bhima and sold as a yearling through their Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale draft to Te Akau Racing for $360,000. Her ten Gr1 wins netted her nearly $7 million and she was on-sold at the end of her racing career to Yulong Stud as a broodmare prospect for $6.6 million. The current crop of 3YOs to graduate through Bhima Stud's yearling drafts include Gr2 Moonee Valley Vase-placed Providence, Gr3 Blue Sapphire Stakes-placed Regeneration, Listed placed city winner Jenni Gone Bonkers, and Gr2 Hawkes Bay Guineas-placed Quondo. Bhima yearling graduate Caballus has won three of his last five starts, all in black type company, and took his prizemoney to almost $1 million with victory in the Gr3 George Moore Stakes at the beginning of December 2025. Militarize and Tuileries are two others who have gained Bhima points on this season's Black Type Premiership, less than half-way into the season.  With nearly a 100% clearance rate at all the major yearling sales over the past decade, Bhima has a reputation for selling the horses they take to sale. Bhima Thoroughbreds will present five yearlings at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, five at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, and are typically present at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale.