Catterick races are back under starter's orders after a three-month lay-off to carry out improvement work.

Racing returns to the North Yorkshire venue on Wednesday after the Catterick Racecourse Company spent more than £600,000 redeveloping its stable yard.

Since March 31, five meetings have been transferred to other racecourses, including three to local venues Redcar, Thirsk and York.

"No doubt our regulars will still be feeling starved of racing," says Jonjo Sanderson, general manager and clerk of the course. "Catterick is a small course, but it has bags of character and I hope that our racegoers will be pleased to see the course looking so good."

The stable yard redevelopment pre-empts new Jockey Club regulations on building standards which come into effect in 2006.

It has seen 115 ageing stables demolished and 116 new stables built in their place in six blocks by equestrian building specialists Derby House Stabling, of Hereford.

Meanwhile, the yard - which is prone to flooding when the River Swale is in spate - has been raised by 1.3 metres, re-laid with a concrete base and two large exercise areas have been introduced.

There are two additional tack rooms, a drying room for equipment, new vet treatment boxes and the closed circuit television system has been expanded from four cameras to 14.

The return of racing on Wednesday will be celebrated with a free race card, a free bet and entry into a free prize draw.

Gates open at 12.30 and the first race is at 2.30.