Donal Nolan
Donal Alphonsus Nolan was born in Ireland on July 24, 1949. He was apprenticed to Jimmy Brogan before crossing the Irish Sea in 1967. He initially joined Ryan Price’s Findon stable but soon headed north to Arthur Stephenson at Bishop Auckland, for whom he rode his first winner on Pravona in a novice riders’ handicap hurdle at Ayr on October 12, 1968.
Donal Alphonsus Nolan was born in Ireland on July 24, 1949. He was apprenticed to Jimmy Brogan before crossing the Irish Sea in 1967. He initially joined Ryan Price’s Findon stable but soon headed north to Arthur Stephenson at Bishop Auckland, for whom he rode his first winner on Pravona in a novice riders’ handicap hurdle at Ayr on October 12, 1968.
It was three years almost to the day before he rode another winner, the odds-on favourite Semaphore in an Ayr selling hurdle on October 9, 1971, by which time he was with Hawick-based trainer Harry Bell, who would supply the majority of Donal’s winners over the next three seasons.
It was three years almost to the day before he rode another winner, the odds-on favourite Semaphore in an Ayr selling hurdle on October 9, 1971, by which time he was with Hawick-based trainer Harry Bell, who would supply the majority of Donal’s winners over the next three seasons.
He wound up that 1971/72 campaign with a score of ten winners from 54 mounts, including a brace of novice chases on Harry Bell’s Red Swan at Perth and Kelso in April 1972.
He wound up that 1971/72 campaign with a score of ten winners from 54 mounts, including a brace of novice chases on Harry Bell’s Red Swan at Perth and Kelso in April 1972.
Donal rated Red Swan among the best he rode during his career. He won three two-mile chases on him the following season, at Carlisle, Wetherby and Perth. Another three-time winner that season was Classic Gem, whose wins included the Beeches Farm Handicap Hurdle at Haydock and the Perthshire Drag Hunt Handicap Hurdle at Perth. He also won three early season novice hurdles at Sedgefield, Ayr and Newcastle on Lucky Burn.
Donal rated Red Swan among the best he rode during his career. He won three two-mile chases on him the following season, at Carlisle, Wetherby and Perth. Another three-time winner that season was Classic Gem, whose wins included the Beeches Farm Handicap Hurdle at Haydock and the Perthshire Drag Hunt Handicap Hurdle at Perth. He also won three early season novice hurdles at Sedgefield, Ayr and Newcastle on Lucky Burn.
In addition to those three multiple scorers, Donal won two handicap hurdles on Tortuga, while other winners included novice chaser Wingen at Sedgefield in November and selling hurdler Silk Courier at Teesside Park in March. However, the best horse he rode that season was one he didn’t win on, the future Grand National hero Rubstic. Donal rode him three times in novice hurdles, finishing second twice, at Sedgefield on Boxing Day and at Newcastle in January. That 1972/73 season proved to be Donal’s most successful, finishing with 21 wins from 150 rides. His claim had shrunk from 7lbs at the start of the campaign to 3lb at the end.
In addition to those three multiple scorers, Donal won two handicap hurdles on Tortuga, while other winners included novice chaser Wingen at Sedgefield in November and selling hurdler Silk Courier at Teesside Park in March. However, the best horse he rode that season was one he didn’t win on, the future Grand National hero Rubstic. Donal rode him three times in novice hurdles, finishing second twice, at Sedgefield on Boxing Day and at Newcastle in January. That 1972/73 season proved to be Donal’s most successful, finishing with 21 wins from 150 rides. His claim had shrunk from 7lbs at the start of the campaign to 3lb at the end.
The following season, 1973/74, saw him ride eleven winners from 103 mounts, starting with Classic Gem in the Sandyford Handicap Hurdle at Ayr in October. He rode Rubstic to win his first race, the Braehead Novices’ Hurdle, also at Ayr, on December 6, 1973. He also rode Harry Bell’s novice hurdler Hundalee to victories at Kelso, Hexham and Perth in the spring of 1974.
The following season, 1973/74, saw him ride eleven winners from 103 mounts, starting with Classic Gem in the Sandyford Handicap Hurdle at Ayr in October. He rode Rubstic to win his first race, the Braehead Novices’ Hurdle, also at Ayr, on December 6, 1973. He also rode Harry Bell’s novice hurdler Hundalee to victories at Kelso, Hexham and Perth in the spring of 1974.
Another of Bell’s novice hurdlers, Bel Canto, got Donal off the mark for the 1974/75 campaign at Carlisle in September. He won on him again at Ayr in December. He landed a pair of novice chases on Kelton Lad, at Newcastle in January and Sedgefield in February. He also won two more races on Rubstic: the Yarm Novices’ Chase at Teesside Park on February 21 and the Berrymoss Handicap Hurdle at Kelso on March 19, 1975. He finished the season with a dozen winners from 99 mounts.
Another of Bell’s novice hurdlers, Bel Canto, got Donal off the mark for the 1974/75 campaign at Carlisle in September. He won on him again at Ayr in December. He landed a pair of novice chases on Kelton Lad, at Newcastle in January and Sedgefield in February. He also won two more races on Rubstic: the Yarm Novices’ Chase at Teesside Park on February 21 and the Berrymoss Handicap Hurdle at Kelso on March 19, 1975. He finished the season with a dozen winners from 99 mounts.
From thereon, however, Donal’s race-riding career rapidly declined. He rode just one winner in the 1975/76 season and none the next. He managed five wins from 71 rides in 1978/79 but never approached double figures again, although he continued to ride until well into his forties, by which time he was combining riding with training a small string of horses, initially at Riverside Racing Stables and latterly at Deer Park Farm, near Wishaw in Lanarkshire.
From thereon, however, Donal’s race-riding career rapidly declined. He rode just one winner in the 1975/76 season and none the next. He managed five wins from 71 rides in 1978/79 but never approached double figures again, although he continued to ride until well into his forties, by which time he was combining riding with training a small string of horses, initially at Riverside Racing Stables and latterly at Deer Park Farm, near Wishaw in Lanarkshire.
In the latter part of his career he trained mainly for Mis M. F. Mcfadyen-Murray. The horses were of limited ability and wins were scarce. However, he was astute enough to successfully exploit a loophole whereby prize-money had been allocated down to sixth place for some conditions races that had historically attracted few runners, the idea being to make them more competitive. Fields for those races were still small, so Donal was quick to enter some of his horses who, while out of their depth in terms of making the frame, were still able to pick up worthwhile prize-money for finishing in rear.
In the latter part of his career he trained mainly for Mis M. F. Mcfadyen-Murray. The horses were of limited ability and wins were scarce. However, he was astute enough to successfully exploit a loophole whereby prize-money had been allocated down to sixth place for some conditions races that had historically attracted few runners, the idea being to make them more competitive. Fields for those races were still small, so Donal was quick to enter some of his horses who, while out of their depth in terms of making the frame, were still able to pick up worthwhile prize-money for finishing in rear.
Donal eventually relinquished his trainer’s licence in 2012.
Donal eventually relinquished his trainer’s licence in 2012.