Just two weeks after the annual St Wilfrid’s Day procession brought thousands of people to the streets, another estimated 10,000 will be heading to the Ripon Racecourse, on Boroughbridge Road, this Saturday (15 Aug) for the race that bears the name of the city’s patron saint.
The William Hill/MND Association Great St Wilfrid Handicap, which has total prize money of £100,000, is the principal race of the day with £51,540 for the winner and the remainder of the pot going to placed horses.
The Leeds-based bookmaker has raised £30,000 to support people with Motor Neuron Disease through the 2025 running of the highly competitive six-furlong sprint and the William Hill Supporting MND Silver Cup Handicap.
In total, it has donated more than £500,000 to the charity.
Rachel Simpson, a member of the Ripon Races administrative and operational team told Tim Flanagan of the Rejoicing in Ripon Blog: “We had 10,000 racegoers through our gates for last year’s St Wilfrid Handicap meeting and, with the weather forecast looking good, we’re anticipating a similar attendance on Saturday.
“In spite of the prolonged heatwave that has baked gardens, fields and parkland across the country, grounds staff have ensured that the Ripon track has a lush green layer of grass, while also living up to its name of Yorkshire’s Garden Racecourse, with floral displays on the grandstand and around the tree-lined parade ring looking fantastic.”
Newly appointed head groundsman Tom Pemberton, who was formerly at Pontefract Racecourse, said: “The team has done a great job.
“We are helped by the fact that we have very good irrigation system that draws water from an on-site borehole.”
With no forecast rain, Saturday’s seven-race card looks set to be run on good to firm going and the Great St Wilfrid Handicap has 15 declared runners, headed by topweight Aramram from the Richard Hannon stable carrying 9-12.
The St Wilfrid Gold Cup contested over a distance of two miles was run in 1839 at a course north of the River Ure. It was the first race to carry the name of the city’s patron saint and is part of the roots of racing in Ripon that go much deeper.
Historical records and maps dating back to 1664 show that there was a racecourse on Borrage Green and, in 1675 races were taking place at Bishop Monkton. By 1717 the Sport of Kings moved to a site now occupied by Ripon Golf Club on Palace Road.
The Ripon Common course from Palace Road to North Road was long and straight and history was made there when it hosted the first-ever race for women jockeys. The ground-breaking event was both sponsored and won by Mrs Aislabie of Studley Royal, whose family’s claim for fame includes the building of Ripon’s obelisk and the creation of the Studley Royal Water Garden.Ripon BID manager Lilla Bathurst, said: “Throughout the season thousands of visitors come to Ripon for a great day or evening of racing and many frequent the city’s independent hospitality businesses before and after the races.
“Once more this year Ripon will also benefit from national media exposure as ITV Racing will be broadcasting live from the track and will feature the Great St Wilfrid race in their programme.
The gates open at Ripon Racecourse at 11am on Saturday, with the first race off at 1.45pm and the last race at 5.05pm.