Michael Dods Racing is a friendly Group 1-winning racing operation, with a proven track record, based in the picturesque village of Denton, four miles from Darlington.

Michael is a vastly experienced trainer and his career highlights include winning the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes at York with the great filly Mecca's Angel in 2015 and 2016. He also trained another brilliant filly, Mabs Cross, to win the Group One Prix de ''Abbaye in 2018, and made history in 2022 when Commanche Falls became the first horse in 54 years to win back-to-back Stewards' Cups at Glorious Goodwood.

The highlight of 2025 was Northern Ticker landing the valuable Sky Bet Constantine Handicap (Heritage Handicap) at the York Ebor Festival, denying his gallant stablemate Commanche Falls by a head in a thrilling finish (pictured below).

The stable finished 2025 on the 43-winner mark and we are already off the mark for 2026 with the ultra-consistent King's Crown winning on New Year's Day at Newcastle.

We are always looking to broaden our horizons and two of the stable's stalwarts, Northern Express and Commanche Falls, have flown to Bahrain to run in the early part of the New Year.

Michael has also been busy at the sales over the past few months, replenishing the stock for 2026.

We are hugely grateful to all our owners for their support, as well as the staff who have shown tremendous dedication to keep the stable moving forward.

Denton Hall is a modern training establishment, which is perfectly placed to reach all the northern racecourses, and is close enough to the A1 to also venture further south. We don't mind where we go in search of winners!

Michael is assisted by his hard-working wife Carole, as well as daughter, Chloe, as assistant trainer. They are supported by long-serving Yard Manager Steve Alderson, and one of the industry's most experienced Travelling Head Lads in Kenny Williams, backed up by a dedicated team of stable staff. We pride ourselves on being professional and friendly. We train racehorses for individual owners, racing partnerships and we also have our own horse racing syndicate – Denton Hall Racing – for group ownership. In addition, we also have our own Dods Racing Club, giving members a value-for-money way of getting involved in the sport. Our aim is to give everyone a chance to enjoy the sport of racing, and the Dods Racing Club is a great example of that philosophy. If you are interested in any of the forms of racehorse ownership please do contact the yard to discuss your requirements. You’ll find regular updates on this site, including latest entries, winners, and news updates. Every Friday, during the turf flat season, we post a Weekend Preview, with our thoughts on the weekend runners. Oh, and the website even features a unique blog by 23-year-old former racehorse Barney McGrew. He writes about his observations of life around the yard, gives an insight into what's going on, and generally has a dim view of dumb humans! Please also follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for more bulletins. Thanks for visiting; we hope you enjoy browsing our website, and we will do our best to continue to keep you informed.