The first meeting of 2014 at Ripon – Yorkshire’s ‘Garden Racecourse’- takes place on Thursday (April 17), when racing is scheduled to begin at 1-55 p.m. with The Eat, Sleep & Drink At The Nag’s Head Pickhill Maiden Stakes, a contest for two-year-olds supported by both The Nag’s Head at Pickhill and The European Breeders Fund.
Ripon’s season on the Flat this summer consists of 16 days’ racing and Thursday’s programme features The Ripon ‘Cock O’ The North’ Handicap Stakes (a contest over one mile for three-year-olds) and The RiponBET Silver Bowl Handicap Stakes (one mile and a quarter).
The PPR Foundation Handicap Stakes, a race for sprinters over six furlongs refers to the fund-raising efforts on Thursday of The PPR Foundation Brain Tumour Research Project, a national charity based in Harrogate. The Malosa Medical Apprentice Handicap Stakes (five furlongs) is sponsored in support of PPR Foundation and is the second leg of a series for young riders on the Yorkshire racecourses this Flat season, The Go Racing in Yorkshire Future Stars Series, now in its second year. After the opening divisions of the First Round recently at Doncaster, Jacob Butterfield and Megan Carberry lead the way.
The ‘Cock O’ The North’ refers to the Northern Flat Jockeys’ Championship, which was won last season for the second time by Joe Fanning who once again rode over a century of winners during the campaign.
Malton-based Richard Fahey was the top trainer last term at the course, while Graham Gibbons was the leading rider. Both competitions are based on a points system based on winners along with second and third places.
Race-goers will be able to follow all of the action on the course’s permanent giant screen, along with coverage of Newmarket’s Craven Meeting.