Michael Dods : Racehorse Trainer

Denton Hall News

  • 21-Dec-2024: Latest News from Denton Hall Stables the home of Michael Dods Racing
  • 09-Dec-2024: Darlo Pride wins at Newcastle under Sean Kirrane for Ursa Major Racing
  • 09-Dec-2024: Northern Express wins annual Denton Hall 'Top Dog' Trophy
  • 24-Nov-2024: Mambha makes it 58 winners for the season under Lewis Edmunds at Newcastle
  • 05-Nov-2024: Lord Abama goes in at Newcastle under Paul Mulrennan to make it three wins in 2024
  • 05-Nov-2024: Taygar wins for the second time this season at Redcar under Lewis Edmunds
  • 28-Oct-2024: Deputy relishes the soft to win at Redcar under Jonny Peate
  • 03-Oct-2024: Mambha lands 40-1 victory by a head at Newcastle under Sean Kirrane

Looking ahead to our first three runners since lockdown

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 that some wouldn't get in. We have more entered on Tuesday but we won't know until tomorrow which entries are confirmed.
Here goes for the three runners on Monday...

DANCIN' BOY is our first runner in the Betway Heed Your Hunch Handicap over a mile at 1.30pm. He won over 10 furlongs at Redcar in May last year and was high enough in the handicap after that. He's dropped down now and he ran well on the all-weather at Newcastle as a two-year-old, finishing second twice. This seems to be a good starting point for him this season and Callum Rodriguez takes the ride. He'll improve for the run and it should put him spot on.

TWIST OF HAY goes in the Betway Novice Stakes over six furlongs at 2.45pm with Connor Beasley taking the ride. She's out of an old favourite of ours, Spinatrix, so it would be lovely to see her do well. She ran twice as a two-year-old and performed well on her second start to be third on soft going over six furlongs at Pontefract. She was nearest at the finish that day and she's a nice big filly. The all-weather's an unknown for her and this is a pretty hot novice race so it's a tall order. That said, once she gets good to soft or soft in turf, she'll be a nice filly in time.

HEATH CHARNOCK is our third runner in the Heed Your Hunch At Betway Handicap again over six furlongs at 3.20. Connor takes the ride and we know he likes the all-weather. He won at Newcastle as a two-year-old and has done well at the track since. He also clearly loves Chelmsford, and won there a year ago. He's drawn 10 and has top weight to contend with, off a mark of 85. Again, this is a competitive race, as you'd expect after the lay-off, but he always seems to run his race and, hopefully, he'll go well.

Whatever happens, it'll just be nice to get going for the season and, if everyone works together, things will hopefully progress with safety the absolute priority.

  • Main image shows Connor Beasley and Heath Charnock on the gallops this morning, leading Callum Rodriguez on Gale Force Maya