Introduction......writes a Stable Correspondent
It was the renowned, award-winning Scottish Jazz musician Bill Wells who, when asked what prompted his career as a musician replied "well, no one was making the type of music I wanted to hear".
Early October, and there are several 2019-20 National Hunt Preview
publications published, just full to the brim of horses to follow. You
know the script - 20 or so of last season's top bumper horses,
throw in the top novice hurdlers from Cheltenham, Aintree and Puchestown
and add in those expensive Irish Point-to-Point winners snapped up at
the Spring Festival Sales.
Interviews with Paul, Nicky H, Colin, Warren, Ben, Olly abound but as for
anyone north of Donald McCain, well.......sparse in the extreme.
Although, on the back of a Scottish National winner, Nicky Richards does
make a welcome appearance in a place or two.
Thus, taking our lead from Mr. Wells, Dodlands Steading kicks off our
own 2019-20 season with article on the equine inhabitants in the yard
for the forthcoming season. As you can read from Donald below, there are
3 or 4 horses who have plenty ability and may be able to compete in
Class 2 and above races.
But that's not all! There are several likeable types who may just have
that little bit of improvement there to be unearthed plus some exciting lightly raced sorts who could,
as the cliché goes, be anything.
Over lunch, Donald and his son Callum were pressed on their thoughts
"I seem to be saying this regularly at the start of each season" says Donald "but I'm really pleased with the group of horses here. Over the course of the season, and including this year's 3yr olds, we'd expect to have 23-24 horses popping in and out of the yard".
Callum expanded. "We feel the stable is realising the benefits of our annual buying policy over the last 5 years, picking up 3 year old store horses at relatively inexpensive costs. We then have a settled programme for these youngsters over the next 18 months, developing their strength and maturity prior to racecourse debuts. There is the occasional horse that doesn't quite make the grade, but the education and time we devote does prepare them for other equine activities such as eventing, dressage, etc."
But getting back to the forthcoming NH Season.
Donald states "I'd like to emphasise the focus on teamwork here at
Dodlands. I've mentioned the equine team - best ever in my opinion - but
even more important are the team of stable staff. Excellent full-time
work riders - my son Callum, Georgina, Alan - complemented by part-time
staff such as my elder son Garry, Rebecca, Pinky and Kingy.
Excellent riders all.
Hawick-based jockey Craig Nichol is attached to Rose Dobbin's yard but
pops into the yard once or twice a week as does local amateur Connor
Wood. Of course the teenage girls who started last year are now more
experienced and it's great to see Leah and Laura just as enthusiastic each weekend."
Last word from Callum. "Sarah Simpson, our vet, has been an ever present at Dodlands Steading for nigh on two decades and she's so knowledgeable and dependable. Our group of owners is expanding too - we're always delighted to welcome those who are new to the yard - but also appreciate the continued support of our long-standing friends."
The table below backs up the mainly progressive nature of the yard over the last 4 seasons. If the level of optimism and energy around the yard is anything to go by, season 2019-20 promises to be very exciting.
| National Hunt Seasons Runs & results (Percentage figures in brackets) | win | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | other | |
| 2018-19 | 6 (14%) | 9 (21%) | 4 (9%) | 4 (9%) | 20 (47%) | |
| 2017-18 | 8 (17%) | 6 (13%) | 5 (10%) | 4 (8%) | 25 (52%) | |
| 2016-17 | 4 (7.6%) | 5 (9.6%) | 5 (9.6%) | 3 (5.8) | 35 (67.3) | |
| 2015-16 | 5 (11.4%) | 4 (9%) | 7 (15.9%) | 5 (11.4%) | 23 (52.3%) | |
Prospects for 2019-20.....The Trainer gives us his views
Baby Ticker
She's now a 10 rising 11 year old. I suppose her racing career will
come to a close one of these days, but she's great to have around the
yard and the place wouldn't be the same without her. She's the only
progeny of Baby Gee who I trained to win 6 hurdle races in the early
years of this century.
Baby Ticker won a handicap hurdle on heavy ground
in 2018 but after finishing 2nd in one of the Northern Lights finals at
Carlisle in December of last season, had an interrupted time of it. Dry weather, racing
shutdown, 'flu vaccinations...you name it, they all seemed to conspire
against our mare and she didn't reappear after that December outing.
We hope she can remain competitive given 2 - 2½ miles and heavy ground
but she'll probably need a couple of runs to hone her fitness after a
fairly long lay off.
Banks O'Houxty
Mr Bill Aitchison sent along this 9 year old son of Generous to the yard
in the Spring to see how he went. This now 9 year old, tall, rangy
gelding has run just the once and that was a winning one in a bumper at
Kelso when trained by Karen McLintock in May 2015. His legs have proved a bit
fragile since that very promising debut which is a real shame as he has
done nothing but impress all the staff here at Dodlands in his work.
Mindful of both his tremendous potential and fragile nature, his work is
being gradually stepped up after a few weeks off in the summer. Clearly,
soft / heavy ground will prove ideal for this lad and in an equine team
full of promise, Banks O'Houxty would be top of the list in that
respect.
Will start off in novice hurdles.
Big Bad Dream
Although Big Bad Dream has been placed numerous times in bumpers and
over hurdles, he's very much a chasing type in looks and will surely be
seen to best effect in that sphere. His best run in 3 novice hurdle runs
last season came in his second race when 3rd at Kelso (2 miles) in
December beaten just over 3 lengths by Romeo Brown who won again for
Phil Kirby in March.
He starts the season on a handicap mark of OR107 and he will probably go
novice chasing after the turn of the year. However, he can be quite a
lazy horse at home - no bad thing in itself but does mean he
will need a run or two before he can show his best form.
Bushmill Boy
An exciting, athletic son of Malinas that Rob Bewley sent along to the
yard last season. Ridden by Rob's son Callum, Bushmill Boy ran well in
his sole race last season when 7th (beaten under 6 lengths) in a slowly
run Ayr bumper just after New Year. The form of that race has held up
well by the subsequent performances of a number of horses.
However, Bushmill Boy was another of the string whose season was badly
impacted by continued dry ground, racing shutdown and the need to
re-vaccinate against Equine Influenza. The BHA altered the regularity of Equine
Influenza vaccinations from annual to every 6 months, but 'flu jabs can have a
detrimental effect on some horses so it was decided to turn this gelding
away to recover then strengthen and mature.
That said, he's clearly enjoyed an excellent summer chez Bewley, and
returned to the yard in August in excellent condition. Still quite
inexperienced though, he may take in another bumper before embarking
down the novice hurdle route.
A very promising gelding.
Dali Mail
A French bred son of Satri who added a hurdle victory to his CV last
season, having won a bumper in 2017-18. The Auld Alliance is clearly
still strong as not only is Dali Mail trained in Scotland, but so are
two of his brothers. Kinneston Nick (Alexander) has of course an
exciting hurdler in the year younger Elvis Mail but also raided the
French Stud which is home to the dam during the summer to bring over the
unraced 3yr old gelding Ginger Mail. See what we started........
It was at Ayr in late November that Dali Mail won a novice hurdle on his
jumps debut, and a very impressive performance it was too. Returning to
Ayr for their New Year meeting, Dali Mail turned in another fine
performance when runner up to subsequent dual winner Whoshotthesheriff.
He rounded off a promising first season when a close second in a
Newcastle handicap hurdle in March, where he might just have been
unlucky when caught tight for room on the rails on the run-in.
He showed signs of hanging left in those last two runs, so we've given
him every assistance by having a small wind operation done just before
he came back into full training. He may be one of the yard who will
relish his initial run of the season and, off a mark of OR123, he
should be competitive in a handicap hurdle. But this good looking,
athletic gelding who stands at 16.2hh is another who will be destined for novice chasing
before the season is out.
Danced Every Dance
This is a mare that we bought at the 2016 Tatts Ireland August NH Store
Sales as a 3 year old. She's a half sister to a couple of winning
hurdlers - Bangkok Pete and the fairly useful Cavite Beta - and has been
lightly raced over the last couple of seasons. She showed promise in her
three races in bumpers and finished 3rd at Sedgefield in December 2018.
We gave her a pop over hurdles at Hexham in May of this year - finished
4th - and
although she had schooled well at home, she was a wee bit novicey at her
hurdles.
Although not overbig in looks, Danced Every Dance should be able to put
that hurdling experience to good use this season where after obtaining a
handicap rating, she will be aimed at staying hurdles with a preference
for give in the ground.
Eternally Yours
I bought her mother (Well Disguised) at a 3 year old store at the
Doncaster Sales in March 2005. She went on to win 4 handicap hurdles for the
yard over the next few seasons. Ran particularly well at Newcastle, I
recall.....
Eternally Yours is the eldest of 3 of her family who will be at Dodlands
Steading this season. She won a bumper at Sedgefield as a 4 year old,
and also won on her hurdling debut at Newcastle in April of 2018. That
put paid to a novice hurdling campaign last season, so she was straight
into handicaps lacking experience against seasoned hurdlers. However,
she ran a cracker first time out beaten just a neck by Jimmy Moffat's
Bon Chic at Ayr before bolting up at Newcastle next time winning by 16
lengths on heavy ground over an extended 2m 4f.
The handicapper didn't miss that performance and was raised 11lb next
time where she again was runner up in her final race of the season at
Ayr in March. She had an interrupted preparation for that race so we
felt she ran well in the circumstances.
Eternally Yours starts 2019-20 season on a rating of OR127 and there
aren't that many options when looking for 2½ - 3 mile handicap hurdles
in the north this side of New Year. But still, I hope the 6 year old
mare will reappear somewhere in November, and is one of a batch of
young, progressive horses in the yard of whom we have high hopes.
Honda Fifty
This medium-sized gelding by Arakan looked well named when showing
plenty of speed when runner up in his only race last season in a
'newcomers' bumper at Newcastle in March. The race may have been
contested by 11 previously unraced horses but the winning time was 13
seconds faster than the earlier handicap hurdle. After running quite
green early on, he soon settled for Callum and kept on nicely in the home straight to finish second, 16 lengths adrift of
the winner Crypto. Crypro was later sold at public auction for £200,000.
Honda Fifty would not come close to commanding that sort of price but he
has undoubtedly been well bought at just €1,400 as an unbroken 3 year
old in August 2017. He is a half brother to Christian Williams' winning
hurdler Cottonvale.
There is still the option of a further bumper run this season, but this
gelding will be schooled over hurdles and we'll decide from there. No
rush really, he shows us plenty of speed at home so will be suited by
the minimum trip over hurdles. A promising young horse for 2019-20.
Keyboard Gangster
Although 'The Gangster' didn't manage a win last season he is still very
much the stable star!
What a time the gelding had in 2017-18, his novice hurdles' season. Dual winner,
and in the second of these winning a £40,000 added Class 2 handicap
hurdle at Kelso in front of ITV4 cameras.
A few outings in novice chases was last season's plan but numerous
factors put paid to that (dry ground, racing shutdown and the need to
re-vaccinate against Equine Influenza), so he was restricted to 3
handicap hurdle appearances. He ran well in a couple of these without
making the first 3.
So, 2019-20? He's down to a rating of OR127 which is 3lb below his last
winning mark and he would be ultra competitive in a 2 mile hurdle on
soft ground.
He is a nice, quiet ride at home but conversely is a hard puller on the
racecourse hence the need for a hood and cross noseband bridle!
He may have one outing over hurdles to get going but we won't wait very
long before sending him down the novice chase route. A very exciting
horse.
Paper Promise
This is another family which will be triply represented at Dodlands
Steading this season. Older sister
Paper Roses has been here for
a few seasons now but we bought a Califet half-sister to Paper Promise
in Ireland in August and she'll be in for a couple of spells here, if
not quite making the racecourse, this season.
This middle sister of the family was a dual bumper
winner in 2017-18 and was beaten just 6 lengths in the Nickel Coin Grade 2 mares
bumper at Aintree in April '18.
Paper Promise was slow to come to hand last season, and she ran an
indifferent race on debut over 2m 4f at Carlisle in December. I knew
she was a better horse than on that showing and jumped much better on
her re-appearance a couple of months later over 2 miles at Ayr in
February when 6th beaten less than 10 lengths.
Our patience was rewarded on her final race of the season. She snatched
victory from the jaws of defeat when rallying from the last to get up
near the line at Newcastle in a novice hurdle over 2 miles.
Now a 7 year old, Paper Promise starts this season on OR109, and I'd
expect this talented, progressive mare to be competitive over 2 miles or
thereabouts in
testing ground.
Paper Roses
How is she still a maiden I hear you ask! We dunno either......
Paper Roses has been running with a fair degree of consistency for the
last 4 seasons, and has finished in the runners-up berth 6 times. Most
heartbreaking for connections was when she was beaten just a head in a
valuable Class 2 handicap hurdle at Carlisle in December '17.
Last season was no different and although restricted to just 3 outings
due to the dry ground, her returns were two 2nd places and a 4th.
This full sister to Paper
Promise starts the season on her lowest ever mark of OR109 and seems
effective at distances between 2 and 2½ miles but does need testing
conditions.
Needless to say, I'd like to win a race with this lovely natured mare
to enhance her post racing prospects as a broodmare.
Stainsby Girl
A well bred filly from an excellent jumping family. Her dam Charmaine Wood showed fairly useful
hurdling form for Alan King at 2 - 2m 4f on going ranging
from soft to good.
Stainsby Girl caught us by surprise by popping up first time out in a 4
runner mares' bumper at Carlisle in December. The form of that race
could be challenged but a couple of months later she delighted
connections on her next run when carrying a 7lb penalty into 3rd place over
course and distance, staying on again once headed.
She finished off her first season with a run in the Grade 2 Nickel Coin
mares' bumper at Aintree's national meeting. After pulling hard on the
way to the start, was dropped in at the rear, then made some headway in
the home straight to finish mid division of the 20 runners.
The mare was schooled at the tail end of last season and jumps hurdles
very well.
Stainsby Girl was still a bit unfurnished last season but we did start
to see physical improvement during the Spring. She has enjoyed a nice
summer at grass out at Bonchester with Ruth Jardine and is looking very
well at this early stage of the season.
The one concern I have is her habit of pulling very hard during her
races. She does start to get on her toes in the paddock and seems to
boil over from that point onward. Maybe she should borrow Keyboard
Gangster's hood......
Will be aimed at mares' novices hurdles over 2 miles. A nice horse.
Our Elsie
As a daughter of Well Disguised, she is the second of that broodmare's
progeny to be in training at Dodlands.
We acquired Our Elsie as a 2 year old from her breeder, and prior to
this season has actually been in training here on a couple of occasions
- Spring of 2018 and then again for a couple of months earlier this
year.
'Margaret' is another of our fillies who has done really well at grass
during this summer, and has furnished into an eye-catching horse. She
has been working well on the gallops at this early stage - one of the
first back into the yard - so all being well I'd like to think she can make a
racecourse debut in a bumper round about the Christmas/New Year festive
period.
Unraced 4yr old
gelding by Prince Flori
The Buyers Club, owners of Keyboard Gangster, bought this strapping,
athletic gelding over in Ireland in the August of 2018.
As with all our young stock, 'Seb' has been at Dodlands Steading in
training for a couple of spells already. He has quite a large frame to
fill but he has been strengthening and maturing nicely these past few
months.
He came back into the yard in early September he will be undertaking
more serious work in the following weeks. It may be he is the type that
needs a little more time so I may give him a mid season break. Either
way I would very much like to give this gelding a bumper run or two
before the end of the season.
Lady Villanelle
Ian and Greg Aitken ventured across the Irish Sea a year past August to
the Tatts Ireland NH Store Sales, with the catalogue heavily marked with
their inspection list.
A 3-day sale, but the father and son partnership were busy on Day 1 and
secured this well-bred filly to bring back home to Hawick. 'Hope' began
to catch Callum and my eye in the Spring of this year when her morning
work on the gallops started to pick up.
Greg must have secured an especially grassy knoll for the filly's summer
break as Lady Villanelle has come back into the yard looking sensational. Her early
season work has continued to improve and if this is maintained then a bumper run
before the year end would seem to be in order.
Now owned in partnership with a couple of existing owners in the yard
and to be run under the TD9 Racing banner. Good luck lads!
Unraced 4yr old filly by
Durban Thunder
Yet another of the Tatts Ireland acquisitions of 2018.
Now this filly has really furnished into a strong, powerful looking
type. Being by the little known sire Durban Thunder, we feel she may have
slipped under the radar at the sales as she was fairly inexpensive to
buy.
Proof of the pudding etc. she will now be undertaking some serious
morning work over the next couple of months, and I'll have a better
idea where we stand come the turn of the year.
All being well, she should take in a bumper before the season is out.
The opportunity is taken to provide a list of this year's young
horses coming through. These are all 3 year olds who will pop in and out
of the yard during the course of the season to allow them to gain
experience of galloping upsides as well as generally getting used to
stable life and fellow inmates.
These periods are interspersed with a few months away from the yard
during which time the furnishing, maturing and strengthening processes
can flourish.
It's not our policy to run horses at a relatively young stage of their
career (i.e. not this season) but it can be fascinating to track their
progress via the regular weekly stable updates during the course of the
next 9 months.
- 3 year old gelding by Sageburg ex Your Place or Mine
Bought by The Buyers Club and will be the 3rd horse of that partnership to be in training here at Dodlands. He is an attractive gelding, standing at over 16.1hh and certainly takes the eye. This gelding has just completed his initial spell in training (early October) and will be put away for a couple of months. Did everything asked of him in this short spell though!
- 3 year old gelding by Libertarian ex Be Donn
Another Tatts Ireland August Store sale acquisition, this time for a new partnership to the yard although the members are local to Hawick. A strong well-made gelding, he looked even better than I remembered when coming into the yard with his Sageburg pal in the middle of September. In a similar fashion he has done everything asked in this initial spell and will spend a few months away from the yard in the company of his new best friend.
- 3 year old gelding by Valirann ex Godlylady
Mark 'Mouse' Young (the CEO of The Buyers Club) bought this fellow over in Ireland and he quickly formed a syndicate of local enthusiasts under which to run. That'll be a year or so away in the future though. Nick Orpwood has completed the early education of this gelding, possibly not as forward as the above Sageburg & Valirann geldings at the moment but I'll get a better look at him when he comes into the yard for a few weeks during October.
- 3 year old filly by Califet ex Rose Vic
If you've been reading this article in full, then you'll know that this is the 3rd progeny of the broodmare Rose Vic to come to Dodlands Steading. Like her half sister Paper Roses, she is not overbig in stature but she has a fair bit of presence about her nonetheless. Such is the high esteem in which The Paper Sisters are held in here, that a visit to any sales ring in which a family member is being sold would be hard to leave without at least attempting to buy. And well, we duly bid and bought at Tatts Ireland in August!
She'll accompany the Valirann gelding into Dodlands for a few weeks in the yard, before spending time being pampered by Greg Aitken over the winter.
- 3 year old gelding
by Midnight Legend ex Well Disguised
A second family with three members to be stabled at Dodlands during the 2019-20 season, this time here's a sibling of Eternally Yours and Our Elsie.
'Mac' was educated by Gary Rutherford in the early Spring of this year and has already been in training for a few weeks during the first part of the Summer. This medium sized, robust sort was working nicely upsides in morning exercise before spending time out at Bonchester at Ruth Jardine's livery yard. He'll probably head back out to Gary's early next year for a few weeks of pre-training before coming back here for a second spell when I'd hope to crack on with him.
Good family, top sire, promising type!
.
.jpg)
An early Autumn gallop
