Kia Ora Stud lift fee of young star Farnan to $77,000

Cover image courtesy of Kia Ora Stud

Kia Ora Stud has announced its fees for the 2025 breeding season. The stallion roster is unchanged, with just one fee adjustment - a well-earned rise for the exciting first-season sire Farnan and slight reductions for Captivant and Prague.

Speed and class are at the heart of Kia Ora’s stallion roster, with Farnan, Captivant and Prague poised to shape the next generation of success.

Kia Ora’s Bloodstock and Breeding Manager Shane Wright said the 2025 service fees were set with a strong focus on providing value and supporting breeders.

“We’ve set our fees with careful consideration for the challenges facing smaller breeders and have positioned them to deliver value and maximise returns. Each of our stallions offers a unique set of elite qualities, and we believe they represent outstanding value at this stage of their careers, with exciting futures ahead,” Wright said.

First season form: Farnan flying high

Farnan has been extremely popular both at the yearling sales and on the racetrack, and his fee will increase from $55,000 inc GST to $77,000 inc GST.

Kia Ora’s outstanding Golden Slipper winner has featured prominently at the top of the Australian First Season Sires Premiership throughout the season and currently sits second by winners, stakes winners and third by prizemoney.

He has already sired three Group 3 winners. These include North England, who was victorious in the G3 Kindergarten Stakes as well as the $1 million Golden Gift; King Of Pop, who claimed the G3 Black Opal Stakes; and Recuperato, who flew home at Flemington to win the G3 Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes.

Farnan has also sired Farcited, who is a winner and Group 3-placed, along with other metropolitan winners Grand Eagle, Impervious, Profoundly, and Farnicle.

The momentum should only continue to build as Farnan has always been a very well supported stallion that has served 714 quality mares throughout his four years at stud.

“I couldn’t be happier with the way that Farnan has launched his stud career. His progeny have always shown the early maturity, physicality, and temperament needed to compete at the highest level. We expected him to hit the ground running, and he’s delivered exactly that,” Wright said.

Gallery: Group winners by Farnan from his first season at stud

“It’s a huge achievement for Farnan at this stage of his career. When you look at what he’s already accomplished with his progeny not just winning Group races, but also producing quinellas. It really highlights the strength of his first crop, with large numbers still on their way through.”

Farnan produced a staggering three runners in the G1 Golden Slipper, the world’s richest race for 2-year-olds.

Wright commented, “when you look at this year’s Golden Slipper, Farnan had three runners - a feat matched only by Written Tycoon, who’s long been a champion sire and a standout producer of 2-year-olds. Considering the quality of mares Written Tycoon would have covered, it really highlights just how special Farnan is, and the calibre of horses he’s already proving he can produce.”

Farnan’s yearlings continue to be in high demand, with top prices including $1,200,000, $800,000, $750,000 and $725,000.

“Farnan’s yearlings have been really well-received again this year. He had 29 catalogued at Magic Millions Gold Coast that sold for an average of $265,000, with a top price of $750,000.”

Captivant’s progeny look quick and classy

The exciting and precocious son of Capitalist stands for $19,800 inc GST, down slightly from $22,000 inc GST in 2024.

The first yearlings by the G1 Champagne Stakes winner hit the market in 2025 and were met with strong demand. Captivant was one of only a handful of first-season sires represented at the 2025 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, highlighted by a top price of $340,000 for the Lipizzan (Sebring) colt purchased by Andrew Williams Bloodstock (FBAA) and Michael Freedman Racing from the draft of Silverdale Farm.

Captivant was also in the headlines when his striking filly out of Happy Pilgrim (Congrats {USA}) sold for $200,000 to Kurrinda Bloodstock and Nathan Doyle Racing. The half-sister to the G1 Galaxy Handicap winner Private Harry (Harry Angel {Ire}) was purchased from the Rheinwood Pastoral Company draft at this year's Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.

“We’re really excited about what’s ahead for Captivant. He’s had some great results at the major yearling sales this year, and there is plenty to look forward to. The feedback from the breakers has been very positive, with all reports stating that his progeny are forward, have great temperaments and are showing every sign that they’ll get up and run early,” Wright said.

Captivant was one of the most precocious 2-year-olds of his year, winning the pre-Christmas Victory Vein Plate on debut at Randwick, before running in the top five of each leg of the year-old Triple Crown, culminating in his success in the G1 Champagne Stakes over the mile distance.

“He’s a stallion we always had a lot of belief in to produce early types, even though he was a Champagne Stakes winner himself. He was an early spring 2-year-old, winning the Victory Vein in October, and a lot of his stock are showing the same traits,” Wright said.

“He covered nearly 130 mares in his first season and good numbers in his second and third, so there are large foal crops coming through and plenty to look forward to. This is definitely the year to go to Captivant — we’ve seen how successful the Written Tycoon sireline has been, and we’re confident his stock will be out and running early."

Prague is poised to pounce

A dual Group-winning juvenile, a $1.6 million yearling purchase, a three-quarter-brother to Stratum Star, and a stallion by Redoute's Choice with an impeccable female pedigree, Prague presents breeders with a unique opportunity to access one of the very last sire sons of the legendary Redoute’s Choice at immense value, standing at $11,000 inc GST in 2025, down slightly from $13,200 inc GST in 2024.

His first yearlings have been highly sought after, selling for up to $375,000, with multiple lots fetching $200,000 in 2025. Among the highlights, McEvoy Mitchell Racing and Belmont Bloodstock (FBAA) secured an imposing colt out of Invincible Gem (by I Am Invincible), who was a three-time Group winner for $200,000 at this year’s Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.

“Prague continues to achieve pleasing results in the sales ring, and it’s been hugely encouraging to see his yearlings make up to 20 times his service fee at both the Magic Millions and Inglis sales this year,” said Wright.

Prague's progeny are now placed in many of Australia’s leading stables, and he looks poised for success as his 2-year-olds, and rising yearlings move through their respective preparations.

“While Prague’s 2-year-olds have taken a little longer to come to hand, we haven’t lost any faith in him. Physically, he’s outstanding, and when you consider Redoute’s Choice’s incredible record as a sire-of-sires, we believe Prague has all the right attributes. We are extremely excited about what’s ahead and will be sending some very nice mares his way this season,” Wright added.

With a proven family behind him and a race record built on sheer speed, Prague offers exceptional value for breeders wanting to tap into elite bloodlines without stretching to premium service fees.

“We’ve got a lot of belief in Prague and have set his fee at an accessible level to allow breeders every opportunity to achieve strong returns at the other end,” Wright said.

Table: Kia Ora Stud's stallion fees for the 2025 season