Cover image courtesy of Magic Millions
Written by Paul Vettise
Tal Nolen provided the headline act at last year’s Magic Millions 2YOs In Training Sale and he believes the top end of the market will again hold up well when action gets underway at the Gold Coast on Tuesday.
The Victorian-based horseman will have eight colts to go under the hammer and is expecting the quality lots to realise their value in these testing coronavirus times.
“I’m a bit apprehensive, but your better horses will get away no worries but the bottom of the drafts will be a real worry,” he said.
“It’s nothing like last year when all the international buyers were here and they can’t come. It’s online as well so it’s a different world and my draft have all breezed up well so I’ve done all I can.”
“It’s online as well so it’s a different world and my draft have all breezed up well so I’ve done all I can.” – Tal Nolen
Nolen, whose son Luke enjoyed a wonderful association with the undefeated champion mare Black Caviar (Bel Esprit), sold the top lot at the 2019 2YOs In Training Sale.
His No Nay Never (USA) colt made $525,000 with Gold Coast trainer Michael Costa doing the bidding on behalf of Jamie Piggott’s Ardross Bloodstock.
Lot 242 - No Nay Never (USA) x El Shahar (colt)
Under his Nolen Racing banner, he also sold a son of Zoustar to Jason Tam and Nicholas Moore for $250,000 with his nine-strong consignment grossing $1.23 million at an average of $136,667.
An earlier Nolen-offered graduate of the sale was Top Knight (Zoustar), who sold for $130,000 to Krit Chittaseni and was the 2019 champion Singapore 3-year-old.
2020 draft
He has tipped sons of Exceed And Excel and Pride Of Dubai to be the stars of his 2020 draft.
“The Exceed An Excel colt is a really nice horse and so is the Pride Of Dubai, they are the two stand-outs and have been very popular,” Nolen said.
“The Exceed An Excel colt is a really nice horse and so is the Pride Of Dubai, they are the two stand-outs and have been very popular.” – Tal Nolen
Lot 165 the Exceed And Excel colt is out of the unraced Guapa (USA) (Rock Hard Ten {USA}) and both of her foals to race have been successful, including the G3 Ethereal S. winner Chica Fuerte (Hinchinbrook).
The dam is a daughter of the G2 La Prevoyante H. winner Last Approach (USA) (Far Out East {USA}) and she is a half-sister to the G1 Flower Bowl H. winner First Approach (USA) (Northern Fling {USA}).
It’s also the family of the Group 1-winning Australian siblings Assertive Lad (Zeditave) and Assertive Lass, who produced the multiple top-flight winner and sire Reset.
Lot 165 - Exceed And Excel x Guapa (USA) (colt)
Lot 177 is the Pride Of Dubai colt is out of Hussy Five Oh (Husson {Arg}), a half-sister to the two-time Group 3 winner Casino Dancer (Casino Prince) with the G1 Railway S. winner Great Shot (Magnus) featuring on the pedigree page.
Nolen will also be offering another son of Exceed And Excel (Lot 3) and colts by Divine Prophet (Lot 42), Deep Field (Lot 71), Shalaa (Ire) (Lot 110), Foxwedge (Lot 112) and Sebring (Lot 201).
