Denton Hall News
- 03-Aug-2026: Latest News from Denton Hall Stables the home of Michael Dods Racing
- 27-Jul-2026: It's a stable hat-trick on the day as Zuffolo makes all at Ripon under Rhys Elliott
- 27-Jul-2026: King of Fury wins at Southwell for the second time this month
- 27-Jul-2026: Imperial Guard makes it an Ayr hat-trick under Connor Beasley
- 20-Jul-2026: Hale End strikes under Sean Kirrane to make it an Ayr double
- 20-Jul-2026: Imperial Guard makes it back-to-back wins at Ayr
- 17-Jul-2026: Arapaho Gold wins listed race at Newbury
- 13-Jul-2026: Imperial Guard strikes at Ayr under Connor Beasley
- 10-Jul-2026: Northern Express wins at York to land our 25th winner of the season
- 05-Jul-2026: King of Fury reigns at Southwell under Jason Hart
- 01-Jul-2026: Arapaho Gold makes it two out of two with an easy win at Thirsk
Dods targets Gimcrack Stakes as Arapaho Gold passes listed test in style
MICHAEL Dods has confirmed his unbeaten two-year-old Arapaho Gold will be aimed at the Group 2 Gimcrack Stakes at the York Ebor Festival following his listed success at Newbury today.
The Bayside Boy gelding, trained by Dods at Denton, near Darlington, stretched his winning streak to three out of three with victory in the Apple Print and Creative Rose Bowl Stakes at the Berkshire track.
Owned by retired Darlington businessman Doug Graham, Arapaho Gold was always doing enough to beat Godolphin’s 850,000 guineas Night of Thunder colt by a neck under a strong Connor Beasley ride.
And Dods confirmed that the plan is to now head for the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Gimcrack Stakes – one of the country’s most historic juvenile races – on August 22.
“The race today didn’t go according to plan,” said the trainer. “He got a big bump early on and that set him alight, but he got into a rhythm and then idled once he was in front.
“It’s the first time he’s really been in a race and Connor said he’s still very raw. He’s entered in the Gimcrack and that will be the plan – I can’t see anything changing that. He’s out and out speed and it’s exciting to have a horse like him in the yard.
“He’s always looked like a good horse and the plan was to go to Royal Ascot for the Windsor Castle but he reared up in the stalls at Beverley in his prep race and we had to have a rethink.”
Arapaho Gold had impressed with two easy wins at Thirsk but today’s trip to Newbury was a big step up in class, and he passed the test in the style of horse with plenty of improvement to come.
The listed success comes just a week after it was announced that veteran handicapper Dakota Gold, who also ran in Doug Graham’s yellow, white and black colours, had been retired at the age of 12 after 17 career wins.
“It’s perfect timing,” added Dods. “To retire a horse like Dakota Gold and, within a week, win a listed race with another one is unbelievable. Doug and his wife travelled to Newbury by train so they were there to see the horse win and we’re all delighted for them.”
The Apple Print and Creative Rose Bowl Stakes was won last year by Wise Approach who went on to win the Group One Middle Park Stakes.