Denton Hall News

Dods has high hopes of flying the flag for the north again in 2025

With the turf Flat season approaching, County Durham trainer Michael Dods talks to PETER BARRON about his prospects for the year ahead

AS he casts an expert eye from the top of the hill over the latest group of horses breasting the rise on his picturesque gallops, Michael Dods has high hopes for another successful season.

Dods, who trains at Denton, near Darlington, hit the 60-winner mark in 2024, and he believes he has the ammunition to maintain that level this year.

“The objective is to go on improving the quality each year and we have some good older horses, some promising three-year-olds, and what look like a nice bunch of juveniles,” he says.

Star turn last year was Northern Express, owned by the Sekura Group, who scored under Paul Mulrennan in the valuable Moet & Chandon International Stakes (Heritage Handicap) at Ascot in July.

Now a seven-year-old, the chestnut gelding finished the season with a highly creditable second to Ralph Beckett’s Grey’s Monument in listed company at Redcar.

“He had a hell of a season last year and he’ll follow a similar route this time, running in big handicaps and listed races,” says Dods.

The Sekura Group, led by Charlie Hill, also has plenty of cause for optimism with three-year-old Northern Ticker, who showed a lot of promise last year, winning at Newcastle and Carlisle before finishing third, despite running green, in the listed Two-Year-Old Trophy at Redcar.

“He’s a big horse and he’s wintered well. We’ll set him off in a handicap over six furlongs and see if seven furlongs is possible, but he’s an exciting horse to look forward to,” says Dods.

• Pictured above, Northern Express and Northern Ticker in adjacent stables

Commanche Falls has been the yard’s flag-bearer in recent seasons, including winning back-to-back Stewards Cups at Glorious Goodwood. Consistent success meant the Lethal Force gelding was too high in the handicap to get his head in front last season, despite running admirable races in defeat.

Having been as high as a rating of 113, he’ll start the 2025 campaign off a mark of 103 and, despite now being eight, he should again be a force in big handicaps.

“It was tough for him last year, but his runs included being sixth off 107 in the Ayr Gold Cup, which was really solid performance. He seems well and, hopefully, he’ll have more of a chance this year.”

Longevity has made Dakota Gold one of the most popular sprinters in training – as testified by the loud reception he received when winning at Redcar last May.

Like Commanche Falls, Dakota Gold is owned by Doug Graham, Ian Davison and Alan Drysdale, and, despite now being an 11-year-old veteran, Dods reports that he’s “as enthusiastic about racing as ever”.

“He’s obviously not as speedy as he was but he’s come down the handicap and still clearly loves it, so he’s capable of winning races at his level.”

• Above, Phil Thomas and Lauren Mulholland on the gallops this morning

Tatterstall, owned by Dave Stone, provided another highlight for the season last year when winning the Coral Racing Club Handicap at Goodwood, and Dods is hoping there may be more to come as a five-year-old.

“He showed a good attitude at Goodwood, and he’ll follow a similar path to last year. He’s wintered well and looks strong, so we’re hoping he improves. He needs a fast track to be at his best.”

Glenfinnan, owned by CSK Services, was another to perform well last year, winning at Ascot and Sandown. He’s entered in the traditional curtain-raiser to the Flat, the William Hill Lincoln, at Doncaster on March 29, though isn’t certain to run.

“He’s a keen-going horse whose ideal trip is seven furlongs, so a mile at Doncaster could be a stretch, but we’ll discuss it with the owners.”

• Chloe Dods and Rhys Elliott in a display of team spirit this morning

Hale End, who won three for Game On Racing in 2024, is also a Lincoln entry but won’t get in off his mark, so the consolation race on the Doncaster card is a more realistic target.

Of horses that are new to the yard, Imperial Guard – a Night of Thunder colt bought out of the Andrew Balding stable – looks a nice prospect for Glenfinnan’s owners, CSK Services.

A winner at Kempton last March, he finished off finishing a close second in a Newmarket handicap in September.

“He seems a nice horse and we’ll set him off at six or seven furlongs. He seems pretty straightforward, with a good attitude, and we quite like him.”

Bosh is a six-year-old bought from the Richard Hannon yard to run in the colours of the Gorijeb Partnership. Dods hopes he can follow up his good season last year when he won at Lingfield and Chelmsford.

“He seems a nice horse and will be running in good handicaps but needs a bit of cut in the ground.”

Dods is under no illusion about the challenges ahead but is clearly optimistic that he has a string capable of landing some nice prizes, and is on the four-winner mark after an all-weather campaign.

““There’s no doubt that it’s getting tougher because buying horses is so expensive, but we’re lucky to have a great bunch of owners and that’s enabled us to assemble a strong mix of older and younger horses, so we’re feeling positive” he says.

“It’s too early to know too much about the two-year-olds but they look a nice bunch and are progressing well so, fingers crossed, we should be striving for get to that 50-winner mark again.”

Stable jockey Connor Beasley is due back from Dubai on March 22 and he'll be supported by Paul Mulrennan, Sean Kirrane, Lewis Edmunds, Oliver Stasmmers, and apprentice Rhys Elliott, who has bounced back after a terrible fall at Newcastle last autumn. He now needs just one more winner for his claim to drop from 7lbs to 5lbs.

"Rhys has worked hard to get back and is riding better than ever, which is great to see. I can see him having a very good season," says Dods, who will again have daughter Chloe (pictured below) backing him up as Assistant Trainer.

• Assistant Trainer Chloe Dods, above, and on the gallops with Rhys Elliott in the main picture. PICTURES: CHRIS BARRON (Barron Media)