Pigeon House

That yard belongs to Charles and Adam Pogson, based in Farnsfield, Nottinghamshire, and they have sent out 12 winners this season alone. Their handling of Pigeon House tells you something about the thoughtful management of a modest horse. When the trainer spotted that the ratings system had pushed him slightly too high to win a race against similar horses, they switched him into a different type of race at Catterick Bridge in March — and he duly won. The trainer had said beforehand, with some confidence, that he should win there. He was right, and that win came just three months ago, so this horse is very much active and in form.

His recent sequence reads: a win, a second place, and a ninth since then, which is about what you would expect from a horse operating at this level. His preferred trip is between a mile and six furlongs and two miles — that is a fair old distance, more than three laps of a running track — and over those longer races he wins roughly 1 in every 6, which is actually his best record at any distance.

What adds a layer of intrigue is that Pigeon House first won over hurdles at Punchestown in Ireland back in May 2024, and his then-trainer Jessica Harrington noted afterwards that he had been threatening to find that form all winter and that he clearly enjoyed faster, drier ground. The team around him have since shifted bases to England and have been quietly placing him in spots where he can be competitive. His regular jockey Shane Foley has yet to ride him to a win in six attempts together, but the horse's record suggests the right conditions matter more than anything else. Keep an eye on him when the ground is on the faster side and the trip is on the longer end — that is when Pigeon House tends to show up.