In the last two weeks alone, Whillans has sent out 1 winner from just 5 runners — a 20% hit rate that is more than double his seasonal average. Small samples can flatter, but when a trainer who knows their horses well starts placing them in the right spots, that kind of burst often signals a yard coming back to life. Worth noting.
The place Whillans does his best work is Ayr, the seaside track on the west coast of Scotland that is home turf for many northern trainers. He has turned out 6 winners from 23 runners there, which works out at better than 1 in 4 — comfortably ahead of his overall figures and the kind of record that tells you he understands how to prepare a horse for that particular track. When his runners travel to Ayr, they arrive ready. He also tends to thrive when the weather closes in: on wet or muddy ground, he has won 4 from 26 races, around 1 in every 6 — noticeably better than his figures on a dry surface.
His most dependable jockey is Craig Nichol, and the numbers here are genuinely impressive. Together they have won 3 from 17 races, roughly 1 in every 6 — well above the seasonal average and the kind of partnership that suggests real communication between trainer and rider. When Nichol gets the leg up from the Whillans yard, it is worth paying attention.
The one relationship that stands out for different reasons is with Nights In Venice — 27 races together and just the 1 win. Racing does that sometimes: a horse and yard keep trying, keep believing, and the results just do not match the effort. It is a reminder that even well-run yards have their puzzles to solve.
| Course | Races | Wins | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newcastle | 27 | 1 | 3.7% |
| Ayr | 23 | 6 | 26.1% |
| Kelso | 15 | 1 | 6.7% |
| Musselburgh | 12 | 1 | 8.3% |
| Carlisle | 11 | 0 | 0% |
| Hamilton Park | 5 | 0 | 0% |
| Hexham | 3 | 0 | 0% |
| Wetherby | 3 | 0 | 0% |
| Perth | 3 | 0 | 0% |
| Redcar | 2 | 0 | 0% |
| Haydock Park | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Sedgefield | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Wolverhampton | 1 | 0 | 0% |