Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Ged and Jan Nolan run Rosari Farm, located at Gladfield in Queensland’s Southern Downs Region, breeding from 12-13 mares a year, and they sell approximately half their annual foal crop at the Magic Millions National Weanling Sale and the other half at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. This year, they’ll present six weanlings for sale in May.
King Kirk’s immediate ability
Sold at the 2023 Magic Millions National Weanling Sale, King Kirk (Ole Kirk) was purchased by Redwall Bloodstock for $200,000. They on-sold him, via Widden Stud, as a yearling at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $300,000 to MyRacehorse and trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott. He won the G3 Breeders’ Plate on debut as an October 2-year-old but sadly died in a training accident before he was able to have another start.
King Kirk as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
“He was a lovely weanling, a beauty with a great temperament, and he sold very well. He was sold again as a yearling by Widden for about $300,000. Then he went on to do what you want them to do, win a group race early,” said Nolan who reiterated his good temperament.
When asked if that was the key to being an early running type, Nolan said, “Temperament helps. Ability is a wonderful thing first and foremost, but temperament takes them a long way if they are good.
“We’ve got the dam at home and she’s back in foal to Ole Kirk.” Oxford Angel (Nicconi)’s 2024 colt foal who is a full brother to King Kirk has already been named Prince Kirk and is now owned by MyRacehorse.
Ged Nolan | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
“We’ve sold him from the paddock to the people who owned King Kirk, and he’s gone to Vinery to be grown out. They approached us, and they asked if I would sell him privately out of the paddock and I said that everything is for sale here bar my wife and children. The grandkids had already named him Prince Kirk, and the MyRacehorse people said they loved the name and were pleased they got it. He’s a lovely horse too, with the same temperament as King Kirk.”
Looking after the land is the key
Rosari Farm sold Listed winner Perspiration (Too Darn Hot {GB}) at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, stakes placed Nicconi Country (Nicconi) and Group 2-placed Sweet Reply (Deep Field) who are joined by a plenitude of city winning graduates. It’s a strong record for a small farm with boutique sized drafts each year.
Perspiration | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“For a small place, we’ve done pretty well. I’m completely computer illiterate, but someone told me the other day that we fight well above our weight,” Nolan said.
“A lot is to do with the country they are reared on. Because we have small numbers, we don’t flog the pastures. We are hands on, we don’t leave anything to chance and try to look after them as best they can. They are well grown and well kept. And we spend a lot of time with each of them.
“A lot is to do with the country they are reared on. Because we have small numbers, we don’t flog the pastures.” - Ged Nolan
“You have to love it, because you get as many highs as you get lows and you have to learn to live with the lows. It’s very character building. For a small place to have a horse like King Kirk could’ve been amazing (if he’d gone on from that Group win), but even though it was so sad when he died, at least he won a good race at his first start. You can’t dwell on the downsides because there are too many of them in this game.”
A select draft of six weanlings
“We do have a favourite,” Nolan said, although he didn’t let on which one of the six it was. “It’s only my wife and I who do it, and we have six daughters and 12 grandkids and they love to name them when they are born. They are city kids, but they love to visit in the holidays.”
The six weanlings, four fillies and two colts, are by six different stallions; Anders, Harry Angel (Ire), Spirit Of Boom, So You Think (NZ), Supido, and Zousain.
“The Harry Angel is a very nice horse. The dam always throws and good type, and in my humble opinion he’s a very good horse.” The colt, Lot 144, is out of stakes-placed Oxford Heart (Lion Heart {USA}) who has produced two winners from three to race with the other being 3-year-old filly Wimoweh (Microphone) who is placed four times in her seven starts to date. Oxford Heart is a half-sister to Listed winner Oxford Poet (Dylan Thomas {Ire}) and to Oxford Angel, the aforementioned dam of King Kirk.
“The Harry Angel is a very nice horse. The dam always throws and good type, and in my humble opinion he’s a very good horse.” - Ged Nolan
“The Spirit Of Boom is a lovely filly,” said Nolan in his understated way. Lot 199 is a daughter of Seam Ripper (Tale Of The Cat {USA}) who is a half-sister to Latitude (Casino Prince), the dam of Perspiration. It’s a family that has been at Rosari Farm for a while, and they bred Anatina (Fastnet Rock), who ran second as a 3-year-old in the G1 Galaxy in 2014, then bought her back as a broodmare later on. They also bred Group 2 winner Quackerjack (Not A Single Doubt) who is in this family.
Gallery: Some of the weanlings offered by Rosari Farm at 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Weanling Sale, images courtesy of Magic Millions
The weanling filly is a half-sister to Annabel and Rob Archibald trained 3-year-old filly Atelier (So You Think {NZ}) who Rosari Farm sold for $200,000 and she’s already won three of her six starts.
From the same family is Lot 292, a So You Think (NZ) half-sister to Listed winner Fake Love (I Am Invincible) out of Anatina. “She’s a quality filly.”
“We were busy with inspections yesterday and there’s already a bit going on with the mares arriving this morning on the ground. We work hard at (breeding horses). We love doing it, and it’s been good to us.”
