Denton Hall News
- 22-May-2022: Latest News from Denton Hall Stables the home of Michael Dods Racing
- 14-May-2022: Tinto holds on at Thirsk under Connor Beasley to win at Thirsk
- 11-May-2022: Dakota Gold bounces back to form with an historic 6th win at York under a great Connor Beasley ride
- 09-May-2022: Aquamas makes it back-to-back wins at Musselburgh under Connor Beasley
- 30-Apr-2022: A great day with wins for Zuffalo and Wor Willie at Thirsk, and Blackrod at Newmarket
- 27-Apr-2022: Aquamas breaks her maiden at Musselburgh under Connor Beasley
- 25-Apr-2022: Thirsk double for Connor Beasley as Langholm follows Emeralds Pride into the winner's enclosure
- 20-Apr-2022: Motawaazy does it again - fourth Catterick victory for prolific gelding under Connor Beasley
- 12-Apr-2022: Gale Force Maya lands Newmarket race on seasonal debut in the hands of Connor Beasley
- 05-Apr-2022: Chiellini wins on his debut at Pontefract under Connor Beasley
- 16-Jan-2022: Great to get off the mark for 2022 with Lady Lou landing odds of 80/1 at Southwell under Callum Rodriguez
Tributes as Dakota Gold makes history at York
Wednesday, 11 May 2022
TRAINER Michael Dods today paid tribute to Dakota Gold after the veteran bounced back to form with an historic win at York under Connor Beasley. The eight-year-old gelding became the joint winning-most horse on the Knavesmire with his sixth win at t ...
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The worst-laid plans
Tuesday, 19 April 2022
TRAINER Michael Dods has hit out at race planners at the British Horseracing Association for not giving enough thought to their decisions. The County Durham trainer says it's high time the issue of inefficient race planning was resolved. His full th ...
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Gale Force Maya to aim at listed victory after win at Newmarket
Tuesday, 12 April 2022
Michael Dods says ultra-consistent mare Gale Force Maya will be heading for a listed race after her latest win at Newmarket today. The six-year-old, running in the colours of Frank Lowe, was winning for the 10th time in 31 runs when she winning the ...
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Dods predicts bright future for Chiellini after debut win
Tuesday, 5 April 2022
TRAINER Michael Dods believes Chiellini is a horse with a bright future following the three-year-old colt’s debut success at Pontefract today. The half-brother to Que Amoro didn’t run as a two-year-old but stayed on well over six furlongs to lan ...
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Dods excited about 2022 as Brunch heads back to Doncaster
Friday, 11 March 2022
FRESH from another successful season in 2021, Michael Dods has plenty to look forward to as the new turf flat season approaches. The County Durham trainer, who had 56 winners last year, is pleased with the mix of seasoned campaigners and new blood ...
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Dods reflects on another successful season - but calls for better deal for owners
Tuesday, 9 November 2021
TRAINER Michael Dods has given a positive assessment of the 2021 season after his County Durham stable exceeded its target of 50 winners. But Dods, who trains at Denton, near Darlington, has also used his end-of-season report to call on racecourses ...
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Open day at Denton Hall proves a success
Monday, 13 September 2021
MICHAEL DODS threw open the doors of his Denton Hall stables today (Monday) to welcome racing fans as part of National Racehorse Week. Dods, who is based at Denton, just outside Darlington, staged an open day to provide a behind-the-scenes look at h ...
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A warm welcome for Tyne Tees Television
Wednesday, 18 August 2021
IT was a pleasure to welcome Tyne Tees Television to Denton Hall this morning. Presenter Helen Carnell and cameraman Jacob Roberts were here to film a feature on how horse racing has risen to the challenges of the pandemic. They also went up on the ...
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Dods confirms Dakota Gold and Que Amoro will both take their chance in the Nunthorpe
Wednesday, 18 August 2021
TRAINER Michael Dods has confirmed that both Dakota Gold and Que Amoro will take their chances in one of the most prestigious sprint races of the season on Friday. The Denton Hall pair will line up for what Dods describes as one of the most competit ...
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Owners welcome Goodwood hero Commanche Falls back at Denton Hall
Wednesday, 4 August 2021
THE jubilant owners of Glorious Goodwood hero Commanche Falls have been reunited with the horse at trainer Michael Dods’ Denton Hall yard. Doug Graham, Ian Davison, and Alan Drysdale were all smiles as they celebrated the four-year-old gelding’s ...
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Dods has Ayr Gold Cup in his sights for Goodwood hero Commanche Falls
Saturday, 31 July 2021
TRAINER Michael Dods has his sights set on the Ayr Gold Cup for emerging star Commanche Falls after the gelding’s scintillating victory in the Unibet Stewards’ Cup at Goodwood today. The 10-1 shot flew home to win one of the season’s most comp ...
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Buick impressed with Brunch after Listed win
Sunday, 25 July 2021
William Buick was full of praise for Brunch after he guided the Michael Dods-trained four-year-old to victory in the Listed Sky Bet Go Racing In Yorkshire Summer Festival Pomfret Stakes at Pontefract. Brunch was angling for room as he turned into th ...
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Dods says Dakota Gold will come on for tomorrow's seasonal bow at York
Friday, 9 July 2021
STAR sprinter Dakota Gold has his long-awaited first run of the season in the listed John Smith's City Walls Stakes at York tomorrow (Saturday) with Connor Beasley in the plate as usual. But trainer Michael Dods has warned that the evergreen seven- ...
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Dods hopeful of big run from Que Amoro at Royal Ascot
Monday, 14 June 2021
The Northern Echo's Chief Sports Writer, SCOTT WILSON, talks to Michael Dods ahead of Que Amoro's bid for Royal Ascot glory MICHAEL DODS has trained some of the best sprinters in the country in the last decade or so, and the County Durham handler ...
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Que Amoro 'highly unlikely' to run in the Temple Stakes
Friday, 21 May 2021
TRAINER Michael Dods has warned that Que Amoro is "highly unlikely" to run in tomorrow's Group 2 Casumo Best Odds Temple Stakes at Haydock because of the soft ground. Michael says the five-year-old mare is in good form at home and ready to run but s ...
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Praise for Aidan Redpath as he rides his first winner
Saturday, 3 April 2021
MICHAEL Dods has praised the stable's apprentice, Aidan Redpath, after he rode his first winner on Havagomecca at Newcastle on Friday night. Michael described Aidan as a "real grafter" who followed orders on David Metcalfe's filly and deserved his f ...
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Looking ahead to the new season and hoping for some normality
Friday, 26 March 2021
The Northern Echo's Chief Sports Writer, Scott Wilson, talks to Michael Dods about what's in store during the new Flat season NORMALLY, as he looks ahead to the start of a new Flat season, Michael Dods has plenty of ambitions. Big-race victories, p ...
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Baby, we were born to run
Wednesday, 24 March 2021
As the Flat racing season gets underway tomorrow, PETER BARRON tells the remarkable rags-to-riches story that began at a County Durham pit and led to one man’s multi-million pound vision IF the script had been written for Hollywood, it might easil ...
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Mabs Cross has her first foal
Saturday, 13 February 2021
Mabs Cross has safely delivered her first foal at Tweenhills Stud in Gloucestershire. The filly, whose victories while owned by David Armstrong and trained by Michael Dods, included the Prix de l'Abbaye in 2018. That led to her being voted the Carti ...
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A YEAR TO REMEMBER
Wednesday, 30 December 2020
A Year To Remember... It was going to be a good year, We had plans and dreams a plenty. But no-one knew, What we’d all go through, In the year of 2020. It’s been a time of challenges, The hardest of them all. But we tried our best, To ...
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A strange but rewarding season - review of 2020
Friday, 4 December 2020
Michael Dods talks to SCOTT WILSON, Chief Sports Writer of The Northern Echo, about the challenges and successes of 2020 AS he looks out of his kitchen window at Denton Hall, watching the autumnal winds whip around his stable doors, Michael Dods can ...
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New racing club launched in time for Christmas
Friday, 27 November 2020
Stumped for a great Christmas present to buy a family member or friend who loves their racing? Well, we are delighted to announce the launch of 'The Dods Racing Club' as a new, low-cost way of experiencing the thrills of racehorse ownership. The ma ...
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Dakota Gold has 'tough task' on last outing of the season
Friday, 6 November 2020
TRAINER Michael Dods has warned that Dakota Gold faces a tough task on his last run of the season if veteran sprinter Brando repeats his most recent form on Champions' Day at Ascot. The pair head the betting for the listed Betfair Wentworth Stakes ...
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Concerns about heavy going as Brunch and Get Knotted head to Newmarket
Friday, 30 October 2020
TRAINER Michael Dods has expressed concern about the "terrible" ground at Newmarket ahead of Brunch and Get Knotted travelling to HQ tomorrow. Brunch (winning at York in the main picture) is given a second crack at earning listed status in the Bet ...
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Dods proud to play a part in champion's 1,000th win
Tuesday, 27 October 2020
TRAINER Michael Dods has tonight spoken of his pride at supplying the ammunition for champion jockey Oisin Murphy to ride his 1,000th winner in Britain. Murphy reached the milestone when Perfect Sign, pictured in her box below, won well at Southwe ...
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Dods reveals Dakota Gold might still have another run this season
Saturday, 24 October 2020
TRAINER Michael Dods has revealed that one of his stable stars, Dakota Gold, may still have another race before the season ends. Michael has a listed race in Doncaster in mind for the six-year-old gelding who has had another stellar season, winning ...
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Dakota Gold relishes conditions at York to land his first group race in style
Saturday, 10 October 2020
DAKOTA Gold relished his “perfect conditions” to win his first Group race at York today. The Michael Dods-trained six-year-old gelding never looked like being beaten as he spreadeagled a quality field to win the Group 3 Coral Bengough Stakes ove ...
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Dakota Gold 'in good nick' ahead of Group 3 bid at York
Friday, 9 October 2020
MICHAEL Dods reports that Dakota Gold is "in good nick" ahead of a tilt at a Group 3 race at York tomorrow. The six-year-old gelding runs in the Coral Bengough Stakes over six furlongs on The Knavesmire, in preference to a conditions race at Musselb ...
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New options for Dakota Gold as Dods welcomes rescheduled Ascot races
Tuesday, 6 October 2020
TRAINER Michael Dods has welcomed today’s announcement that four feature races are to be rescheduled following the abandonment of last Saturday's Ascot meeting due to heavy rain. The British Horseracing Authority has confirmed the revised plan i ...
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Dods hoping for rain as Dakota Gold heads to Ascot
Friday, 2 October 2020
TRAINER Michael Dods says it's a case of the more rain the better as Dakota Gold heads to Ascot for the listed Rous Stakes tomorrow. The five furlong sprint was one of the five races won by Dakota Gold during his prolific season in 2019 and the cond ...
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Weekend preview
Friday, 25 September 2020
IT’S busy time of year, with racing coinciding with the sales season. We’ve had a couple of days at Newmarket, followed by two days at Doncaster, and there’s more sales to come next week. In the meantime, we have just two runners over the week ...
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Hoping for a silver lining after a difficult season for Get Knotted
Friday, 18 September 2020
TRAINER Michael Dods has expressed concern about whether evergreen handicapper Get Knotted has had enough races as he heads for the Ayr Silver Cup tomorrow. The eight-year-old gelding clearly likes Ayr, having been fourth in the Gold Cup in 2018 and ...
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Dods hopes The Curragh stays dry as Que Amoro bids for Group 1 glory
Friday, 11 September 2020
TRAINER Michael Dods is hoping the rain clouds stay away from The Curragh as Que Amoro bids for Group 1 glory in Ireland on Sunday. The flying filly heads across the water for the Derrinstown Flying Five Stakes following her gallant second to Battaa ...
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Dods hopes ground doesn't dry out too much as Dakota Gold aims for York repeat
Friday, 4 September 2020
IN-FORM trainer Michael Dods is hoping the ground at York doesn't dry out too much as star sprinter Dakota Gold aims to emulate last year's win in the listed Garrowby Stakes on Sunday. The six-year-old gelding relished the soft conditions when winn ...
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Dakota Gold looks York-bound after bulleting back to winning form
Thursday, 27 August 2020
DAKOTA Gold is likely to try to repeat last year’s success in the listed Betfred Garrowby Stakes at York after bouncing back to winning form in today’s William Hill Beverley Bullet Sprint Stakes. Trainer Michael Dods said it was the first time t ...
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Dods welcomes crowds returning to racing as a welcome step
Thursday, 27 August 2020
TRAINER Michael Dods has welcomed the announcement that eight meetings are to be staged with crowds, starting with the St Leger Festival at Doncaster next month. Details of numbers have not yet been confirmed for the Government pilot scheme but spec ...
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Prix de L'Abbaye an option for Que Amoro after flying filly pushes Battaash all the way
Friday, 21 August 2020
TRAINER Michael Dods has revealed that the Prix de L’Abbaye is a live option for Que Amoro after she pushed Battaash all the way in today’s Group 1 Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes at York. The Denton Hall trainer spoke of his pride in the progressive ...
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Dakota Gold faces tough challenge to hump top weight in the Great St Wilfrid
Friday, 14 August 2020
TRAINER Michael Dods says Dakota Gold is in good form but faces a tough task at the weights as he bids to emulate last year's victory in the Great St Wilfrid Handicap at Ripon. Michael gives his assessment in his latest Weekend Preview below... "We ...
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Magisterium kicks off the weekend at Newmarket
Friday, 7 August 2020
WEEKEND PREVIEW A relatively busy weekend with one runner down at Newmarket on Saturday and five in action closer to home at Thirsk on Sunday. The Saturday runner down at headquarters is MAGISTERIUM in the Betway Nursery Handicap over seven furlong ...
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Thirsk praised for setting example of improved catering for owners
Thursday, 30 July 2020
Thirsk Racecourse has been praised for the way it looked after owners at its latest meeting. Last weekend, trainer Michael Dods criticised some northern racecourses for not doing enough to cater for owners who were described as “the lifeblood of t ...
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Nick joins the team as an apprentice
Monday, 27 July 2020
Teenager Nick Barratt-Atkin has joined Michael Dods Racing as an apprentice jockey. Nick, 18, clocked up more than 50 winners on the pony racing circuit. He's had 58 rides as an apprentice jockey so far, including 9 seconds and 4 thirds, and was pr ...
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Dods criticises some northern racecourses for not doing enough to cater for owners
Saturday, 25 July 2020
RACEHORSE trainer Michael Dods has criticised some northern courses for failing to do enough for owners during the difficult lockdown period. Dods, one of the north’s top trainers, said: “In some cases, it hasn’t been good enough, and there’ ...
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Dods 'delighted' with Troubador's run in defeat under topweight
Saturday, 25 July 2020
TRAINER Michael Dods says he is “delighted” with Trouabor’s performance in defeat while carrying a welter weight at Newmarket today. The three-year-old grey gelding – winner of four races last season – was a staying on fifth in the Stetchw ...
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Troubador faces tough challenge to give weight away at Newmarket
Friday, 24 July 2020
TRAINER Michael Dods says Troubador has been a victim of his own success last season as he attempts to give weight away down at Newmarket tomorrow. The grey three-year-old won four times last season before winding up with an honourable second to Su ...
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Dods describes passing of Geoff Turnbull as 'huge loss for northern racing'
Thursday, 23 July 2020
TRAINER Michael Dods has paid a warm tribute to one of the leading figures in the northern racing scene, Geoff Turnbull MBE, who has died after a battle against illness, aged 74. Mr Turnbull, a miner’s son, was Chief Executive Officer of the highl ...
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Winning three-year-old joins Denton Hall Racing syndicate from Newmarket
Monday, 20 July 2020
TRAINER Michael Dods has announced a new acquisition for the Denton Hall Racing Syndicate in the shape of a lovely three-year-old bay gelding called Gigi's Beach. Gigi's Beach has been bought out of Hugo Palmer's Newmarket yard and is by Oasis Dream ...
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Dods hoping for good run as Que Amoro takes on the boys
Saturday, 18 July 2020
TRAINER Michael Dods hopes Que Amoro can step up to the challenge of 'taking on the boys' at York this afernoon. The star filly posted a fast time when winning a fillies' only listed race at Ayr on her seasonal reappearance and now faces high class ...
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Jawwaal puts his issues behind him to sweep to victory at Ascot
Saturday, 11 July 2020
TRAINER Michael Dods has expressed his delight at Jawwaal’s emphatic victory in the Betfred Heritage Handicap at Ascot this afternoon. The five-year-old gelding was held up by Callum Rodriguez before making smooth headway and sweeping clear to win ...
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Jawwaal deserves his step up at Ascot
Friday, 10 July 2020
Trainer Michael Dods says Jawwaal deserves his tilt at a step up into a Heritage Handicap at Ascot tomorrow following his recent victory at Doncaster. The five-year-old gelding, pictured in the yard with apprentice Aidan Redpath, goes in the ultra- ...
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Dods criticises Thirsk over failure to be ready for owners
Sunday, 5 July 2020
RACEHORSE trainer Michael Dods has criticised Thirsk Racecourse for not being ready to welcome owners at its meeting on Monday. Despite other racecourses being ready, Thirsk has told owners that it is not prepared to open its doors to them at its me ...
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Dods disappointed with Dakota Gold's Sandown draw
Friday, 3 July 2020
TRAINER Michael Dods has expressed disappointment with Dakota Gold's draw in his second run of the season - the Coral Charge at Sandown on Sunday. The six-year-old gelding, who scored five times in a scintillating season last year, is drawn 12 out o ...
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First foal of Mecca's Angel impresses on debut at The Curragh
Sunday, 28 June 2020
AIDAN O'Brien has described Hudson River - the first foal of Mecca's Angel - as "a lovely colt" after the two-year-old impressed on his debut at The Curragh today. The O'Brien-trained Hudson River made a winning debut in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF ...
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First foal of Mecca's Angel poised for debut at The Curragh on Sunday
Friday, 26 June 2020
THE first foal of our former star sprinter Mecca's Angel is poised for his racecourse debut in Ireland at the weekend. The beautiful bay colt, by Galileo, runs in the Barronstown Stud Irish European Breeders Fund (C & G) Maiden at over seven fu ...
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Weekend preview
Friday, 26 June 2020
Fresh from a nice winner at Doncaster today with Jawwaal, we have four runners over the weekend, with two ridden by Paul Mulrennan at Redcar on Saturday, and two up at Hamilton on Sunday with Connor Beasley on board. BLOWING WIND kicks us off at Re ...
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Que Amoro impresses with listed win in fast time at Ayr
Monday, 22 June 2020
TRAINER Michael Dods has high hopes for flying filly Que Amoro after she won her first listed race in a lightning quick time at Ayr today. The four-year-old bay filly was highly impressive in easily winning the EBF Land O’Burns Fillies’ Stakes o ...
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Tough call for Mulrennan as fillies go head to head at Ayr
Friday, 19 June 2020
TRAINER Michael Dods has spoken about the dilemma facing jockey Paul Mulrennan as two of the stable's stars prepare go head to head at Ayr on Monday. Michael admits it has been difficult having Que Amoro and Queens Gift, main picture, in the same ra ...
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Dakota Gold 'as fit as we can get him' ahead of seasonal bow
Friday, 12 June 2020
TRAINER Michael Dods says prolific winner Dakota Gold is "as fit as we can get him at home" ahead of his first run of the season at Doncaster on Sunday. Michael has assessed the chances of the star gelding (main picture) in the listed Achilles Stak ...
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Dakota Gold poised for first run of the season at Doncaster
Tuesday, 9 June 2020
ONE of last year’s stars of the northern racing scene has been entered to make his first appearance of the season. Michael Dods’ sprinter Dakota Gold went from strength to strength last season, winning five races, including the Great St Wilfrid ...
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'An exceptional job' - Dods delighted by racing's restart
Friday, 5 June 2020
TRAINER Michael Dods has heaped more praise on racecourses and the BHA for the way the return to action has been handled this week. Michael said: "It’s been great to see our sport up and running again this week, and I think the racecourses and the ...
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Dods excited by Brunch after tasty Newcastle victory
Thursday, 4 June 2020
MICHAEL Dods has described Brunch as “an exciting horse” after the three-year-old cruised to victory at Newcastle today. The Harbour Watch gelding settled well under a patient ride from Callum Rodriquez in the Betway Heed Your Hunch British Stal ...
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Dods praises Newcastle for getting racing off to a good re-start
Monday, 1 June 2020
TRAINER Michael Dods has praised the “impeccable organisation” behind racing’s return at Newcastle Racecourse today. Michael, who had three runners on the first day back, said: “There’s clearly a lot of work gone in to getting it right and ...
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Barney McGrew gets his own radio slot
Sunday, 31 May 2020
Our local celebrity, Barney McGrew, is to feature on BBC Radio Tees breakfast show tomorrow... Every morning, our media adviser Peter Barron goes on the show to present a feature called The Headline Challenge. It's a bit of fun where he comes up wi ...
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Dods welcomes Government go-ahead for racing to resume
Saturday, 30 May 2020
TRAINER Michael Dods has welcomed today's news that the Government has given the go ahead for racing to return behind closed doors at Newcastle on Monday. Michael said: "We are delighted at the news that the Government has given the British Horserac ...
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Looking ahead to our first three runners since lockdown
Friday, 29 May 2020
Thank goodness we are finally getting going again after the lockdown, with three runners left in at Newcastle on Monday after the declaration stage. We'd hoped for more but with the races restricted to 12 runners, it was always going to be the case t ...
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TV cameras at Denton Hall ahead of racing restart
Friday, 29 May 2020
It was nice to have the BBC Look North cameras at Denton Hall this morning ahead of the restart of racing on Monday. Business Editor Ian Reeve interviewed Michael, along with jockeys Connor Beasley and Callum Rodriguez, about plans for the resumptio ...
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Weekend Update 22 May
Friday, 22 May 2020
We’re getting nearer to the June 1st date when racing is hopefully going to resume, and now we know the programme for the first seven days, we’ve been able to start putting a few plans in place. We still haven’t had the exact details of how it' ...
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Weekend Update 16 May
Friday, 15 May 2020
With racing scheduled to get going on June 1 as things stand, we start this week’s update with a look at QUE AMORO. She goes into the season as a four-year-old and is going very nicely at home. She did us proud last season – winning spectacularly ...
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May 10 Update
Sunday, 10 May 2020
Once racing gets underway again, we'll be resuming the regular Weekend Preview. In the meantime, we'll be giving weekly updates on some of the horses. Given what he achieved last season, it seems only fair to start with DAKOTA GOLD. After a pipe-ope ...
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Dods hoping for a golden anniversary
Tuesday, 17 March 2020
AS he embarks on his 30th anniversary season, Michael Dods is firmly established as a trainer who is well capable of striking gold. In recent seasons, he has had Group 1 successes with flying fillies Mecca’s Angel and Mabs Cross, and then Dakota G ...
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