By Duane Ranger
The man who co-trained Yulestar to win the 2000 New Zealand Cup and the 2001 Inter Dominion grand final has died.
Ronald Patrick Nolan passed away in his hometown of Hawera last Thursday (August 27). He was 82.
Nolan, who was predominantly a galloping trainer, conditioned Yulestar wife his Lorraine – who these days resides in an old people’s home in Hawera.
As for Yulestar he’s now 21 and still enjoying life on the Nolan farm in the Taranaki.
Nolan’s son-in-law Terry Smith said Nolan was a genuine ‘God-fearing man who was humble with it.
“There weren’t many better than Ron. He said it like it was and was a great person to own horses with. He was a very loyal man. He was married to Lorraine for more than 50 years.
“He was predominantly a galloping trainer who won 250 races including Rotorua Cups with Arigna and Loughrinn. Master William also ran in the Grand National,” Smith said.
It was his wife Lorraine that convinced him to switch codes.
“Ron helped Lorraine get her training licence. She loved standardbreds and Ron had the occasional drive. Yulestar was by far their best standardbred, Master Ryan won a couple of Cups as well and The Missioner, which they bred, won a couple of races as well,” Smith said.
Yulestar raced 170 times for 34 wins, 28 seconds and 24 thirds. He amassed $1.98 million in stakes. Seventeen of those wins were in Australia, Canada and the United States.
As well as the New Zealand Cup and Inter Dom Final at Moonee Valley (Melbourne) the Cameleon – Victoria Star gelding also won the 2002 NZ Free-For-All, the Ashburton Flying Stakes, The Spring Cup, the Franklin Cup and the Junior Free-For-All.
He was mostly driven by Tony Shaw and then latterly Peter Jones.
Smith remembers when Nolan stuck by a young jockey called Lisa Mumbee.
“Lisa was just starting out and Ron was loyal to her and gave her many of her early rides when others wouldn’t
“She later became Lisa Allpress and went on to be a very good jockey. That was the kind of person Ron was. He always thought of others and was a very straight shooter.
“He is going to leave a very big dent in our family,” Smith said.
Nolan was born in Hawera and educated at St Patrick’s College in Silverstream, Wellington.
Nolan is survived by his wife, daughter and daughter-in-law and Father-in-law of Bernadette and Terry, and Dad to Michael in England. He was also Grandad to Ryan, Candace, Brad, and Silver (England) and Great Grandad of Kase, Layla, Paige, Mikenzie, Cooper and Hank.
A service for Ron will be held today at 11am the St Joseph’s Catholic Church (August 31). This will be followed by a private family interment.
All communications to The Nolan Family, C/- PO Box 183, Hawera.
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