Pedigree

                                                                      Giant's Causeway
                                        Yorgunnabelucky
                                                                      Helsinka
Bollin Matilda
2018 bay mare
                                                                      Bollin Eric
                                        Bollin Julie
                                                                      Bollin Nellie

The family

"Matilda" is the first foal out of winning hurdler Bollin Julie who was trained right here at Dodlands from 2012-2017 to win a couple of handicap hurdles She was also placed 5 times. As a broodmare, she has been a bit unfortunate since her first foal (pandemic etc.) but in 2022, Bollin Julie was covered by Norse Dancer.
Bollin Julie is out of that sound, multiple winning flat performer Bollin Nellie.
So, she is a full sister to Bollin Judith, who was a useful staying flat handicapper on the flat for Tim Easterby winning 6 times and later, a triple hurdle winner for Jim Best. Other successful siblings are multiple winning flat stayer & winning hurdler Bollin Neil, winning hurdler Two B's and another multiple flat winner in Multellie (whose victories included the 2016 Lanark Silver Bell).
And "Julie"'s half sister Bollin Fiona was a dual winning hurdler for our yard, and is now a broodmare.
The 3rd dam Bollin Magdalene won 4 hurdle races, has bred 5 winners including winning hurdlers Bollin Felix, Bollin Thomas & Bollin Annabel.

About the sire

The tall, close coupled Yorgunnabelucky (bay horse, b 2006) was a useful staying handicapper on the flat when trained for 4 seasons by Mark Johnston. He won over 10f as a 3 yr old but his best performance came at 5 when winning a Class 2 Newmarket handicap over 1m 6f.
Yorgunnabelucky also had 3 runs over hurdles (placed once) when trained for a spell by Alan King.
He was retired to stud in 2013 and has spent the last few years at Mickley Stud as a dual purpose stallion. His main appeal to breeders is that he is a full brother to the French 2000 Guineas and Derby winner Sharmadal (died 2020), who was a top class racehorse and elite level sire.
Without setting the heather on fire, Yorgunnbelucky has sired several winners on the flat, the best being 9-time winning Lucky's Dream. In the NH sphere - ~ 25 individual winners - his best runners so far are French Listed Hurdle winner Fortune's Melody, multiple winning jumper Libberty Hunter and the useful Listed winning hurdlers Onemorefortheroad and Lucky Zebo.

Form Summary

Season 2024-25 outlook

Dual hurdles winner Bollin Matilda starts the 2024-25 season on a handicap mark of OR92, and on hat-trick to boot!

At a modest level she is a progressive mare but would seem to be ground dependent (soft / heavy) given her winning form last season.
Whether she's purely a Spring horse (both victories came in April) remains to be seen but the form value of that last win at Perth seems quite solid as 3 subsequent winners (in their next couple of races) have emerged, so .......

Small 3 mile handicap hurdles in the North with plenty of give in the ground.

Profile....
The home-bred filly Bollin Matilda is the first foal out of our dual hurdle winner Bollin Julie. A neat filly in conformation terms.

Bollin Matilda started off in a bumper in the January of the 2023-24 season, before progressing to novice hurdling. A lovely, but slightly light-framed, type much of her initial season was about gaining strength while enjoying the experience of jumping and racing. She did show glimmers of ability though.

She started season 2023-24 on a handicap mark of OR86, and here first 3 or 4 races where a bit up and down in terms of performance, so much so that we started to doubt our theory that 3 miles and soft ground would be her optimum conditions.
But it all fell into place for our home-bred mare in April over 3 miles on heavy ground at Newcastle, when she travelled smoothly and won comfortably.
Reappearing quite quickly 11 days later (before the ground dried up) she followed up to win an amateur riders' 3 mile handicap hurdle at Perth in impressive style. Equally impressive was ex Dodland team member Murray Dodd in the saddle, riding his first winner Under Rules.
As an aside, as of mid-November '24, the now turned professional Murray has gone on to ride a further 9 winners including another one for our yard.

Oh, and another first for the yard as Callum owns and bred the now dual hurdles winner!

Season		win	2nd	3rd	4th	other
2022-23	NH Flat					1
2022-23	Hurdles					3
2023-24	Hurdles	2		1		3
2024-25	Hurdles					1

Current Season Form

11 February 25 Ayr : 3m ½f Handicap Hurdle (Class 4 0-110) OR92 soft 13 ran (Murray Dodd(7)) - 6th (beaten 18¾l)

Towards rear, headway before 8th, in touch with leaders 2 out, weakened before last

A belated first run of the season for 'Matilda' and whilst never able to mount a challenge, she has run an encouraging race. Maybe one of those staying handicaps for mares at the Scottish National meeting will be within her scope..

Previous Season Form

24 April 24 Perth 3m Amateur Jockeys Hdcp Hurdle (Class 5 0-105) OR85 soft 11 ran (Murray Dodd) - won (by 2¼l)

In touch, close up 7th, tracked leaders 2 out, joined leader when not fluent last, ridden and led run-in, hung left inside final 110yds, kept on well

One of the extra special wins for Dodlands as Bollin Matilda follow up her victory at Newcastle in impressive style here. Ridden by Hawick born, and former Dodlands team member Murray Dodd for his first winner Under Rules.

13 April 24 Newcastle 2m 7½f Cond'l Jockeys Hdcp Hurdle (Class 5 0-100) OR81 heavy 6 ran (Dylan Johnston) - won (by 3¾l)

Midfield, smooth headway before 3 out, not fluent next, pushed along soon after, disputed lead last, led run-in, drew clear late on

Despite concerns about the heavy ground, Bollin Matilda improved again on her recent form to win this quite comfortably from mud-loving maiden Fainche. Not a strong race but this should boost her confidence. First success for owner-breeder Callum Whillans.

9 March 24 Ayr 3m ½f Handicap Hurdle (Class 5 0-100) OR83 good 15 ran (Craig Nichol) - 6th (beaten 11½l)

Midfield, soon went prominent, lost position after 7th, chased leaders from 3 out, kept on for modest sixth near finish

Bollin Matilda was more at home on this sounder surface and ran quite a nice race.

11 January 24 Catterick 3m 1½f Mares Handicap Hurdle (Class 5 0-100) OR85 soft 11 ran (Craig Nichol) - 5th (beaten 44¾l)

Mid-field, not fluent 8th, ridden 3 out, beaten when not fluent next

After a fine run last time, facing much softer ground here, Bollin Matilda was unable to build on that performance.

17 December 23 Carlisle 2m 3½f Novices Handicap Hurdle (Class 5 0-105) OR83 good to soft 8 ran (Craig Nichol) - 3rd (beaten 2½l)

Held up, hampered after 3 out, good progress from 2 out, every chance approaching last, kept on

This was much better from Bollin Matilda, probably benefitting most from a sounder surface than of late. She stuck on doggedly up the Carlisle hill and wasn't beaten far in the end.

11 November 23 Kelso : 2m 5f Handicap Hurdle (Class 5 0-100) OR86 soft 11 ran (Danny McMenamin) - 9th (beaten 61l)

In rear, left behind from last (usual 3 out)

First time in a handicap and it looked a bit too much for Matilda at this stage in her career. Still, she should benefit from the experience and may be suited by less testing conditions.

27 April 23 Perth 2m Mares' Novices Hurdle (Class 4) good to soft 12 ran (H Brooke) - 6th (beaten 32l)

Behind, not fluent, ridden 4 out, no impression till some late headway from 2 out, never able to challenge

Probably 2 miles on a tight round course wouldn't have been the ideal set of circumstances for Bollin Matilda. Now set up for handicaps from the autumn.

19 March 23 Carlisle 2m 3½f Maiden Hurdle (Class 4) soft 9 ran (D McMenamin) - 7th (beaten 39l)

Held up in rear on outer, pushed along briefly before 7th, outpaced 3 out, soon pushed along and struggling, well beaten before 2 out

Bollin Matilda didn't jump nor travel as well as she had on her debut run 3 weeks ago at Ayr. This may have come a bit too soon although she didn't seem to enjoy the softer ground here.

27 February 23 Ayr 2m 3½f Maiden Hurdle (Class 4) good to soft 12 ran (C Nichol) - 7th (beaten 20l)

Waited with in rear, not fluent over first 2 flights, headway to track leading group halfway, hampered 4 out, kept on but never reached leaders

A quite pleasing hurdling debut from Bollin Matilda, who was a bit novicey over the first couple but jumped very well for the remainder. She was almost brought to a halt by a faller at the end of the back straight, and it's to her credit that she got back on an even keel and finished well.

11 January 23 Ayr : 2m NH Flat Race (Class 3) heavy 6 ran (Craig Nichol) - 6th (beaten 28l)

In touch, ridden 4f out, gradually weakened and lost touch final 2 furlongs

On reflection this was quite a fair bumper and being run on heavy ground put a lot of pressure on debut for Bollin Matilda. She'll be given time to recover and hopefully reappear for another run in the Spring.