Introduction...... 

At the risk of receiving accusations of delving into the realms of hyperbole, that was a glorious summer.

As a result, the autumnal atmosphere around Dodlands Steading in the second half of September is more acutely felt than in previous years.
Autumn.....the season that brings immense anticipation to National Hunt trainers, owners and enthusiasts throughout the country as strategies are discussed and diaries are filled for the next few months.

Yet, the first Donald Whillans' trained runner of the 'real' NH Season would be the best part of two months away but that doesn't prevent the level of excitement and enthusiasm around the yard gathering apace.

In this year's preview, Callum Whillans takes us through the equine and human members of the yard and prospects for the season.
Of course, Callum remains very much our stable jockey, and bit by bit in recent times with elder brother Garry, has been a source of advice and suggestions to Donald. Both young men are able to call upon a wide range of knowledge gained at several top yards such as Alan Swinbank, Gordon Elliott, Donald McCain, Venetia Williams, Keith Dalgleish to name but five.
Add this to Donald's decades of training experience, excellent staff and support from our vet Sarah - we're quite a team!!

Callum Whillans writes...... 

If you have read our 2017-18 NH Season Review, you'll know that we considered it a good season for Dodlands Steading.

In the last five years, our approach has seen the arrival of 4 or 5 unraced horses into the yard at the start of each season. Newly educated 3 year olds acquired from the NH Store Sales or sent along from our owner-breeders.
Dodlands Steading houses 19 boxes, and we can grab hold of another 2 or 3 nearby for those having a quiet spell. So ~5 youngsters can make up about 25% of our string each year, and this type of horse can take about 18 - 24 months to mature and educate before stepping foot on the racecourse.
All of which doesn't lend itself to our yard making any impression of note in terms of overall winners (8 in 2017-18) trained per season!

But we wouldn't change a thing.

Last season was our best to date, continuing the upward trend of the level of performance attained by our string on the racecourse, using our trusted measuring stick - Racing Post Ratings (RPRs). You can see more on this by reading the above 2017-18 review article.

But there's no question of any laurel resting.
Two or three horses have retired, a couple of last year's staff have also moved on with our best wishes but the core of top class work riders remain. Georgina, Pinky, Kingy plus myself, supplemented by experienced part time staff including my brother Garry and enthusiastic weekend teenagers.
And of course, keeping us all on the right track, righting the odd wrong, managing the yard and horses is my dad Donald.

Dodlands Steading is abuzz.

Oh, and our much maligned web team do endeavour to provide little snippets not available elsewhere, and remain at your service!
Ideas, platitudes, accusations and criticism - feel free to send those their way to the usual email address........

So, in no particular order, here's my thoughts on the string - just click on the horse's name for more details.

Baby Ticker
A late developer as she didn't make her racecourse debut until a month before she turned 7 yr old. A very consistent mare in handicap hurdles last year, especially on heavy ground, she did get her nose in front at Ayr in January. Her one try at 3 miles came on a sound surface and we think there may be a wee bit of improvement still to come over distances in excess of 2m 4f - in testing conditions of course.

Big Bad Dream
He's set to go novice hurdling after being placed in 3 of his 4 runs in bumpers. Being by Mountain High, we think there's a fair bit of improvement in this fellow as he matures, especially over 2m 4f - 3m. If we're right, then it'll be an exciting season for him.

Dali Mail
You know, his win by 18 lengths at Kelso in a bumper in February may have been flattering as a couple of his rivals seemed to underperform that day. But his previous run when a close third to a couple of highly rated horses from the yards of Lucinda and Rose (Highland Hunter & Hitman Fred) is right up there with the best of the Northern bumper form. I have already schooled this French-bred gelding, he jumps well and will be aimed at 2m novice hurdles when the going is riding soft.

Danced Every Dance
Displayed significant signs of greenness on debut in a Musselburgh bumper in January - she visited the stable complex turning into the back straight!
Yet she stayed on nicely turning for home, eventually finishing just over 20 lengths in arrears. I like this well-bred daughter of Oscar a lot and she has improved physically during the summer months, so plenty to look forward to this season over hurdles after an initial bumper run.

Eternally Yours
A bumper winner on Boxing Day at Sedgefield, book-ended by a couple of 4th placed efforts at Musselburgh, she caught me slightly by surprise by jumping well and winning readily on her hurdles debut at Newcastle in April. Well, that's blown a novice hurdle campaign this season!
She'll undoubtedly find it tougher in handicap company but is another mare who has matured immensely during the summer. She has a touch of class, and we're in no hurry with this 5 year old. Looking forward to riding her very much.

Keyboard Gangster
Stable star in more ways than one! A dual hurdles winner last season, and capped it all by winning a £40,000 added Class 2 handicap at Kelso in front of ITV4 cameras. Giving me a great thrill in the process - the biggest success of my career. He may be one of the first of the winter string to re-appear (maybe November) and we'll start again in a handicap hurdle - he's rated 136, so it'll be Class 2 level.
Option of novice chasing is always there, but we can see how the season pans out over hurdles to begin with.

Paper Promise
The year younger of 'The Paper Sisters', this mare was a dual bumper winner last season, and finished off running well in a Grade 2 mares bumper at Aintree in April. I'm kicking myself a little, as I should have made more of this mare in the race, as she finished so strongly once given a clear run.
Another horse that I schooled before the summer break, she jumps well and will be aimed at mares' novice hurdles where she should pick up a nice prize.

Paper Roses
She can be considered very unlucky to still be a maiden, as I felt she was coming to win with me several times during her career. Her season did come to an early halt in 2017-18 due to injury (nothing serious) but she's had a good break.  Paper Roses is being taken along gently at the moment, but never takes that long to get fit, so maybe around the turn of the year we'll see her back over hurdles.

Side of the Road
Another mare whose season ended early due to injury. Side of the Road had shown promise, albeit at a modest level, over hurdles last season - one run in a novice hurdle at Ayr last November in particular had me really excited.
A really well bred, attractive mare, with an active family, a win would boost her paddock credentials and we'll try our best!

Stainsby Girl
A well bred filly from a family literally bursting with winners.
Her dam Charmaine Wood showed fine form for Alan King at 2 - 2m 4f on going ranging from soft to good. Unraced, she'll start off in mares bumpers just this side of the New Year. Does need to learn to settle though.................

The Boo Box
This 5 year old son of Scorpion made his debut in a Kelso bumper in May, running well but weakening out of contention with me 2f from home. We hope he's strengthened up during the summer, and being one of the last to return to the yard, it'll be after New Year before he's back on the track probably in a bumper.

Unraced 4 yr old filly by Getaway
She's been in training at Dodlands for a couple of short spells since we bought this filly at the 2017 Tatts (Ire) August NH Store sales. Acquired as a replacement by The Brave lads Partnership when Hartforth retired earlier this year, 'Jean' is progressing nicely and is now in full training. A well made filly, we'd like to think she can make a racecourse debut in a bumper just after New Year.

Unraced 4yr old gelding by Malinas
Rob Bewley sent along his lovely looking, athletic gelding to Dodlands in September '18 after a spell of pre-training with Gary Rutherford. He has a long, free flowing stride that catches the eye each morning on the gallops. He has settled in nicely into his new environment, slightly unfurnished at present, we'll see how the initial months in training go, as he may the type to benefit from a short break. Either way, look for him in a bumper around the turn of the year.

Unraced 4yr old gelding by Arakan
Bought at the same NH Store Sale as the above Getway filly, 'Adam' is an attractive gelding by Arakan, although not overbig in stature. Following the well  trodden path of our youngsters, he has been at Dodlands for a couple of spells already in between time spent strengthening and maturing. He returned to the yard and has been in full training since early September, so again may another sort to make a debut on the track just after New Year.

More unraced fillies and geldings
As mentioned above, we've a whole host of 3 year olds coming through, in training for spells though unlikely to be ready this season - but for the future we have fillies by Yeats, Durban Thunder and Shantou plus geldings by Prince Flori and Mountain High.

An early season gallop