Michael Dods

Azure Blue (Ire) (El Kabeir), who bested Highfield Princess (Fr) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) in the G2 Duke Of York S. in May, will square off again with that multiple Group 1 winner in York's G1 Nunthorpe S. on Aug. 25, trainer Michael Dods confirmed on Friday. A listed winner last October, the 4-year-old claimed the Listed Ellen Chaloner S. at Newmarket at the beginning of May before her group heroics. She was sixth in the G1 July Cup S. at Newmarket, but is reportedly doing well. "At the moment...

Seven years ago Churchill (Ire) beat Mehmas (Ire) in the G1 Goffs Vincent O'Brien National S., and they both now feature prominently in their second careers at stud. For Mehmas, that's nothing new. He was champion first-season sire, then leading second-season sire, and he gave way only to New Bay (GB) last year among his generation. Now with his fourth crop of runners taking to the track, the Tally-Ho Stud resident is back in front among his intake with four group winners to his credit so far this year, including...

Michael Dods trainee Azure Blue (Ire) (El Kabeir--Sea Of Dreams {Ire}, by Oasis Dream {GB}), successful in four of her five latest starts, stepped up from listed level to claim a career high in Wednesday's G2 1895 Duke of York Clipper S. at York. She had previously closed her sophomore campaign last term with a stakes breakthrough in October's Listed Boadicea Fillies' S. at Newmarket and doubled up in the May 6 Kilvington Fillies' S. back at HQ coming back off a 210-day break last time. Azure Blue bided her...

John Gosden, alongside fellow Newmarket trainers Sir Mark Prescott, Robert Cowell and David Simcock, will make up one of the dozen teams of the Racing League tournament which begins next summer. Another Newmarket team is comprised of Michael Bell, Ed Dunlop, James Fanshawe and Roger Varian. Clive Cox, Nicky Henderson, Charlie Hills and Jamie Osborne are representing Lambourn. Another team is Mick Appleby, Michael Dods, David O'Meara and Paul Midgley. Mick Channon has joined Paul and Oliver Cole, Eve Johnson Houghton and Hughie Morrison. France will also send a team...