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TWO OF the leading racing journalists of recent years are remembered at Thirsk on Saturday with the unveiling of commemorative benches outside the weighing room.

Ray Gilpin, the former Northern correspondent of the Racing Post and Tom O’Ryan, whose career took him from jockey to race-reader for Raceform to journalist for the Racing Post and latterly presenter for Racing UK, both made huge contributions to racing in Yorkshire.

Gilpin, who died in 2015, was a popular figure on the racecourse and was a former vice-President of the Horserace Writers and Photographers Association as well as being the Northern chairman.

O’Ryan, who died after a short illness in 2016, had latterly been raceday presenter at York racecourse. Ironically, he was the driving force behind a commemorative bench at Thirsk in memory of his old Raceform colleague Alan Amies.

The benches will be unveiled at Saturday’s Ladies Day meeting at Thirsk by Sue Gilpin and Wendy O’Ryan.