Basil Nolan honoured with Hall of Fame induction

Revered Queensland thoroughbred breeder and long-time industry figure Basil Nolan will be honoured for his lifetime dedication to the code by being inducted into the Queensland Racing Hall of Fame. 

Nolan’s Hall of Fame induction recognises his decades of service to horse racing in the state, headlined by his deep commitment to Raheen Stud as well as his service to the Thoroughbred Breeders Queensland Association and Thoroughbred Breeders Australia. 

The 80-year-old was informed of his induction into the Queensland Racing Hall of Fame on Wednesday afternoon alongside a group of his long-time peers and friends, fittingly at the Magic Millions March Yearling Sale. 

Nolan grew up surrounded by horses and racing at his family’s famous Raheen Stud, based just outside of Warwick on the Darling Downs, where he joined his parents in its operation in 1963.

Together with his wife Diane, he has expanded the complex into what it is today, standing in-demand stallions and producing generations of Queensland-bred racehorses while remaining firmly family-run.

While looking after his business interests at home, Nolan always had his eyes on the wider industry’s prosperity. 

He first joined the committee of the Thoroughbred Breeders Queensland Association in 1969 and later served as president from 1980 to 1991, before returning to the role in 2010.

During his time in the position, Nolan helped drive a number of key initiatives aimed at strengthening the local breeding industry, which included enhancements to the Queensland Thoroughbred Incentive Scheme and Breeders Bonus scheme. 

He has also supported initiatives around horse welfare and rehoming retired racehorses during his time on the Queensland Off-The-Track Board. 

“It’s unbelievable – I truly never expected to be in the Queensland Racing Hall of Fame,” Nolan said. 

“It’s a great surprise and I’m appreciative of everybody who has made this happen. 

“It’s not just an honour for me, it’s for the thoroughbred breeders in Queensland and the people that make it up, alongside my wife who is my backbone.”

Nolan has also been a strong advocate for the industry at government level, where he played a key role during equine influenza breakouts, as well as securing support for breeders during the devastating 2011 floods and COVID-19 pandemic.

At a national level, Nolan has represented Queensland on the board of Thoroughbred Breeders Australia since its establishment in 2005 and has served as its president since 2014. 

In that role, he has helped ensure Queensland breeders maintain a strong voice in national discussions around marketing, expanding black-type racing opportunities and horse identification through microchipping and DNA testing.

Racing Minister Tim Mander said Nolan was an iconic figure not just in Queensland thoroughbred circles but nationwide.

“Basil Nolan is one of the most revered figures in Queensland racing and I couldn’t think of a more deserving inductee into the Queensland Racing Hall of Fame,” Minister Mander said.

“I want to congratulate Basil and his family for their significant and ongoing contribution to the industry."

Earlier in his career, Nolan also spent 22 years working as a bookmaker at Eagle Farm Racecourse, which gave him first-hand experience of the wagering side of the sport. 

That knowledge later proved valuable in discussions around race fields legislation and prize money distribution in Queensland.

“Basil has made an enormous contribution to racing, not only here in Queensland but right around the country,” Racing Queensland Director Graham Quirk said.

“Even at the national level since 2014 Basil has led the Thoroughbred Breeders Association, and at a time in life when other people would be putting their feet up, Basil is soldiering on fighting the good fight and fighting it hard. 

“Basil has a sense of determination, he gets right to the core of an issue, and he’s a fighter; those three ingredients make for good, strong leadership.

“It’s hard to imagine that anybody will serve as president for 25 years of a state jurisdiction. That’s what Basil has done and that’s why he’s a very deserving Hall of Fame inductee.”