'We've had a good week' - Northern Express lands Hunt Cup for back-to-form Dods

May the force be with Michael Dods. He had trained only one winner by the end of April but has had five more since May started and landed £60,000 and £50,000 races on Saturday.

Azure Blue underlined the Darlington yard's return to big-race winning form in a Listed event at Newmarket and less than an hour and a half later stablemate Northern Express took the Vickers.Bet Hunt Cup, the richest contest of the year at Thirsk.

Reflecting on his start to the season, Dods said: "It was slow because the heavy ground didn't suit a lot of the horses. But this week things have picked up, we've had a good week and we have a lot to look forward to."

Northern Express held off the strong-finishing Pisanello by three-quarters of a length under Callum Rodriguez and the trainer said: "It was a worry when the rain came and he's a better horse on faster ground but they were going through it. 

"Because of that I told him to ride him a bit handier today because he struggles to pick up on this ground. I thought he got there too soon but he kept going."

Rodriguez admitted: "I was worried turning into the straight because the horses in front couldn't take me any further. He was just waiting for a few coming late on, but as soon as he felt one he stuck on again. It was a good performance."

The weather was more suitable for Azure Blue at Newmarket and Dods said: "The rain came in time for her as she likes a bit of dig. She's improved a lot over the winter."

Two in two days

Paul Hanagan rode his second winner in consecutive days to make it five in total in his first full season as a freelance when landing the 6f handicap on Cooperation.

The former dual champion jockey, who split from Richard Fahey last year, said: "It's hard as a freelance, anybody will tell you that. 

"But the winners are coming, I had a nice winner at Newcastle last night. I'll just keep kicking."

Hanagan had won twice on Cooperation when the sprinter was with Fahey and it was his specialist knowledge that earned him the call from Bedfordshire-based joint-trainers Mike Murphy and Michael Keady.

"We were coming up north and he knows the horse so we thought 'why not stick him on?'" Keady said.

The duo were enjoying their third winner from their last five runners and Keady said: "We're just getting on with the job and trying to do the best we can, but they're running well thankfully. 

"We started in July last year, we're up to 45 horses and that's 16 winners now."

Fahey himself took the three-year-old 5f handicap with Great State, who could go to Royal Ascot for the Palace of Holyroodhouse Stakes.

Coronation clash

Chief executive James Sanderson said the crowd was "slightly down" due to the counter attraction of events at Westminster Abbey.

But the coronation was shown on all the big screens and every racegoer who wanted one received a commemorative badge, flag and racecard.

Thirsk racegoers received a commemorative badge, flag and racecard

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