14:10 Catterick

Wednesday 4 March 2026

All14:1014:4015:1015:4016:1016:40

Racing To School Claiming Hurdle

Off time: 14:10 | Winning time: 3m 42.98s

Pigeon House^p²³

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: Sean Quinlan| T: J Candlish| OR: 120| D

2/1

Dual hurdles winner (around 2m) for Jessica Harrington in Ireland in 2024. Yet to score for his current yard but he's been runner-up no less than six times, including on his return from 8 months off when clear of the rest in 2m3f handicap here 23 days ago. A player dropped in grade.

Form: 2253-52

Tara Iti⁹⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-9| J: Oscar Palmer⁽⁷⁾| T: F Brennan| OR: 106| D

20/1

A four-time 2m winner over hurdles for James Owen in the first half of 2025. However, he was way below par for his current yard in a pair of 2m handicap hurdles at Plumpton and Market Rasen before Christmas. It's easy enough to look elsewhere.

Form: 710456

Byron Hill^b,t³³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-7| J: B S Hughes| T: P Neville| OR: 102| BF| D

10/3

Sole hurdles success came at Carlisle (2m1f) in October 2024 but he's back in form of late, blinkered when fourth in 2m3f handicap here 33 days ago. One to consider.

Form: 5-4P634

Jet Approach⁸³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Danny McMenamin| T: B Ellison| OR: 75

40/1

Little promise shown in various company and a sizeable step forward will be needed if he's to play a leading role here.

Form: 435-577

Macho Sun^t³⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Peter Kavanagh| T: M E Sowersby| OR: 66

250/1

Maiden on the Flat and just poor form shown in this sphere, a never-dangerous sixth at Market Rasen on Boxing Day. Fell 1st at Sedgefield since and hard to warm to.

Form: 49-746F

Mermaids Cave^v¹⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: Alex Chadwick⁽³⁾| T: James Owen| OR: 116| D

6/4

Prolific since joining James Owen, bagging a seventh win in a 2m claiming hurdle at Huntingdon in November. Not discredited when a close eighth of 12 in 2m4f handicap at Market Rasen 15 days ago. Big shout back in claiming company.

Form: 3109F8

Russian Virtue^p¹⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-7| J: Joshua Thompson⁽⁵⁾| T: D Thompson| OR: 103| D

7/1

Winless since 2023 but largely consistent sort who posed a solid sixth (in refitted cheekpieces) in 2m1f handicap at Carlisle 16 days ago. Well in the mix with headgear retained.

Form: 4-246P6

Law Degree¹⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 11-4| J: Tom Midgley⁽³⁾| T: T D Easterby

125/1

Modest 1m winner on the Flat but he went freely when beating only one switched to hurdles in 2m juvenile at Market Rasen 15 days ago. A big step forward is required.

Form: 7

Forecasts

Mermaids Cave (6/4), Pigeon House (2/1), Byron Hill (10/3), Russian Virtue (7/1), Tara Iti (20/1), Jet Approach (40/1), Law Degree (125/1), Macho Sun (250/1)

MERMAIDS CAVE rates the pick at these weights and gets the vote dropped into claiming company for the first time since scoring at Huntingdon in November, his seventh success no less for James Owen. Pigeon House returned from 8 months off with a good runner-up here recently and rates next best ahead of in-form duo Russian Virtue and Byron Hill.