Farnan increased to $77,000 as Kia Ora announce 2025 service fees
Kia Ora Stud have announced that Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) winner Farnan (Not A Single Doubt) will stand the upcoming season at an increased fee of $77,000 – from $55,000 – (all fees inc. GST) off the back of a successful first season at stud, while studmates Captivant (Capitalist) and Prague (Redoute’s Choice) will each have slightly reduced figures.
In keeping with a focus on value and supporting breeders, 2021 Champagne Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Captivant will stand for $19,800 down from $22,000, while dual Group-winning juvenile Prague has been set at $11,000, down from $13,200 in 2024.
Boasting three individual stakes winners, Farnan currently sits third in the Australian first-season sires table by earnings ($1,624,200) and second by number of winners (eight).
Among his top progeny are Kindergarten Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m) and $1 million Golden Gift (1100m) winner North England, Black Opal (Gr 3, 1200m) winner King Of Pop and runner-up Farcited, as well as Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) winner Recuperato.
The son of Not A Single Doubt (Redoute’s Choice) also had three runners in this year’s Golden Slipper.
“Off the back of Farnan’s first two-year-old runners this year we’re very impressed by what he’s done and couldn’t be happier with where he sits at the minute,” Kia Ora’s bloodstock and breeding manager Shane Wright told ANZ Bloodstock News.
“To get stakes winners, both fillies and colts, and to have three runners in the Slipper was a huge feat for a first-season sire and I think easily justifies the fee we’ve given him.
“We’ve kept Farnan at a value point the whole way through his career and he continues along with that momentum and we expect him to have a very strong book at this stage almost full as it is. I think his fee is an absolute sweet spot for him at this point in time.”
Farnan’s yearlings continue to be in demand with top prices including $1,200,000, $800,000, $750,000 and $725,000 at this year’s sales, and Wright highlighted the depth of his first crop, with 25 runners from 112 foals denoting even more to come.
“The demand has been very strong,” he said. “I think people have seen what he’s done with his two-year-olds – North England and King Of Pop being two headliners – but you also have horses like Farcited and Grand Eagle coming through. Even in the last two weeks I think he’s had eight or nine trial winners so there’s plenty of ammo in the barrel.
“We’re excited for the Brisbane Carnival coming up, we think we’ll have a couple of nice horses going up that way. We also have one of our own Farnan colts going, Farnicle, he was a very impressive winner first out in Sydney.”
Wright said a book of around 160-170 mares is expected for Farnan after a book of 181 last season.
“He’s been well supported the whole way though,” he said. “He had a book in the 190s in his first year and 180s to 150s each year in between, so he’s got plenty of ammo. He’s not one I think you will see a dip in, he’s gonna be consistently strong over the next couple of years.
“I think the main attribute you hear from every Farnan is they love to work, they eat well, they’re sound and they’re tough. And although they’ve been good two-year-olds, a lot of them have shown they have the right attributes to train on at three.”
Meanwhile, Captivant’s first yearlings are hitting the sales ring this year and he was one of only a handful of first-season sires represented at Inglis Easter, highlighted by a Silverdale Farm-consigned Lipizzan (Sebring) colt purchased by Andrew Williams Bloodstock and Michael Freedman Racing for $340,000.
Wright said the reduced fee offers value to breeders for a stallion who he believes could produce a variety of quality performers, both in their juvenile season and beyond.
“We’re looking at a value point for breeders,” he said. “Farnan we probably could’ve gone a little bit higher than we did but we wanted to make him fair and the same for Captivant. We want to give breeders a chance to breed and be commercial in the sales ring and also give them every chance on the track.
“It’s a very competitive market with stallions under the $30,000 bracket, and Captivant is a stallion we really like. Although Captivant himself won his Group 1 over a mile, he was a pre-season two-year-old and a lot of his stock look like they could be getting to the track early.
“He had a lovely colt at Easter who sold to Michael Freedman for $340,000, but he’s very typical of the Captivants, they’re all a decent size, strong, athletic horses, good hindquarters, good actions. Reports coming back from the breakers have been really strong, nice, forward horses with good brains is what we’re hearing across the board.
“I think when you look at them, they look like very sound horses going forward and also should have that versatility. We think his first crop will be good two-year-olds, but there’s horses by him that should stretch out and get a bit of distance and longevity in their careers.”
Prague is the cheapest of Kia Ora’s trio, slightly reduced with his first crop yet to strike – albeit after only three runners to date.
He presents another source of value as one of the last sire sons of Redoute’s Choice (Danehill). His yearlings sold for up to $375,000 in 2024, with multiple lots fetching $200,000 in this year, and Kia Ora maintains all the faith that the seven-year-old’s progeny will soon come to the fore on the track.
“His day is yet to come but it is coming,” Wright said. “He hasn’t really set the world alight in the same vein as Farnan but he has some nice horses coming through. In the last couple of weeks he’s had some very nice trial winners as well.
“He’s one of the last chances to get access to Redoute’s Choice. It’s typical of some of Redoute’s I suppose that they make those real good three-year-olds.
“We’re aiming at a target book of between 80 and 100 with both Captivant and Prague. The under $30,000 stallion market is the most competitive there is so we’re always being realistic. But if you look at Capitivant and Prague, breeders have supported them with nice mares and have been duly rewarded in the sales ring.”
Kia Ora Stud’s 2025 fees (all fees inc. GST)
2025 (2024)
Farnan $77,000 ($55,000)
Captivist $19,800 ($22,000)
Prague $11,000 ($13,200)