Michael Dods stable tour 2024 Flat season including Azure Blue and Dakota Gold

York runners

Azure Blue

It was a great day when she won the Group 2 Duke Of York Stakes last year. She jumped and travelled well, I thought she’d run well but feared Highfield Princess would take a lot of beating, she probably needed the run, and our filly was excellent. But then she went to Newmarket, we had a bit of trouble with her feet, and she was never happy in the July Cup. When she came home we scoped her and found ulcers and stomach issues, and her feet, so by the time we got her where we were happy with her it was too late so we just finished for the season.

She’s wintered very well, we’ve brought her along very steadily, it’s not ideal going to York without a prep run but you’ve got to start somewhere. I can see her running well but needing the run.

I can easily see her coming back to five furlongs this year at some stage. The Nunthorpe possibly, she’s in the Temple Stakes, we’ll see. She’s often a strong traveller in her races, I wouldn’t be surprised if we did give her a run over five furlongs just to see. I think she is a horse with Group One ability, if we can get her back on track after the setbacks to where she was I think she’s got the capabilities to be competitive in Group One races over five or six furlongs.

Commanche Falls

He’s done well, he’s improved with age. It’s a bit more difficult for him now because he’s in Listed and Group races but the programme book picks itself for where he can run. He’ll go to York for the Duke Of York Stakes, a race he ran well in last year, it just looks a bit of a warmer contest this year.

I thought he needed the run at Newmarket, it was his first outing and he hadn’t come in his coat but he’s a lot more forward now. I don’t really think Newmarket plays to his strengths but it was just to get a run into him really. He’s in at the Curragh at the end of the month, that’s a possibility, but he’ll probably follow a similar route to last season.

Northern Express

He’s in good form, he’ll run at York at the end of the week. I think he’s probably better over seven furlongs. Fast ground is what he wants and hopefully the handicapper will drop him a little bit to give him a chance. He loves it at York so if he gets an early pace that he likes to aim at he’ll go well. I think the handicapper is in charge for now. He’s a strong traveller and maybe he’ll be a horse that will benefit from a set of cheekpieces, that might just bring a bit more out of him.

Dakota Gold

He’s been a tremendous horse. He’s always had his problems with the starting stalls. My wife loads him, no lead, he goes in last. He prefers soft ground, he’s getting on a bit now but the handicapper is starting to give him a chance. He’ll run on Wednesday at York but whether he’s capable of winning this sort of race, he’s probably more likely he could win at York in a 0-85 or 90 but probably struggle in the 105s. But he’s well and he loves the track so he deserves to go back again. I was never happy with him last year, he wasn’t carrying much condition behind the saddle, but this year he’s come back in a much better frame of mind and he looks better and the handicapper has given him a chance so I’m sure it won’t be long before he’s winning again.

Woven

At his age now, the handicapper isn’t giving him a lot of assistance, and he probably needs some. He loves it soft, he can’t have it soft enough. Over six furlongs he’s probably better on a stiffer track which is why he’s ran well at Ayr, at Doncaster, but the speedy flat tracks like York he probably wouldn’t travel as well as you’d like him to. He’s definitely a frustrating horse (second seven times), but because he keeps finishing second the handicapper never relents.

Challet

He was too high in the handicap last year but has dropped a bit now and loves York. He’ll probably go there on Friday but might just need the run, he won’t run if the ground is too firm, but he loves the track and the plan is to run him.

Kalganov

He’s in at York on Friday but he probably won’t get in. He’s done well, he looks great, he probably wants some juice in the ground but he looks very well at the minute and I’m sure he’ll be winning soon.

Rest of the team

Glenfinnan

He’s a nice horse. When we bought him Andrew (Balding) said to geld him so we did and he’s been showing us speed which is why we went back to six furlongs at Newmarket but he was out on the wing and I don’t think he handled the track. His work had been very good and he showed a good attitude to win at Ascot last time. The race probably wasn’t run to suit, they went very slow early, and a faster run race would suit him better. I think he’s quite an exciting sprinter to look forward to, I think there’s a lot more to come and we like him a lot.

Tinto

He’s well, he might run on Saturday. He’s getting on a bit and probably needs a bit of help from the handicapper but with sprinters like this you just let them come to hand when they’re ready and he seems to be on the way back now.

Brunch

He had a few little issues, he’s getting older now. I’m very happy with him at the minute, the handicapper is giving him a chance now so if we can get him out on nice ground I can see him doing well.

Midnite Runner

He ran well at Beverley, just a bit keen. Ideally you’d keep him to a fast turning seven furlongs so he relaxes but I think once he learns to relax and race properly there’s quite a lot to look forward to.

King’s Crown

He just lost his way a bit, he was too highly tried as a two-year-old. I thought he ran well at Doncaster last time where he got beaten by a well-handicapped winner. I’m very keen to try him over seven furlongs, there’s a lot of stamina in the pedigree and he might just have a turn of foot at the end of a race over that trip.

Close Connection

He won well at Pontefract, in what probably wasn’t a very good race. I don’t think the handicapper was very fair on him giving him a mark of 78 for winning, but he’s dropped him 2 lb since. Probably a horse who wants stepping up in trip.

Count Palpatine

He’s quite a nice horse. He’s ready to run. He probably wants seven furlongs or a mile.

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