Ripon’s second meeting of the season takes place on Saturday (April 23) as does their anticipated St George’s Day Celebrations.

To get into the festivities, the Racecourse are offering all those named ‘George’ (or near enough) FREE entry (with valid I.D) into the Paddock Enclosure and are encouraging racegoers to dress in typical St Georges Day fashion to celebrate a good old English day at the races. There are some extra festivities booked, with face painters at the ready and a few other surprises waiting in the wings.

Added to that, this St George’s Day marks a very special centenary event as exactly 100 years ago this coming weekend, a film was made on Ripon Racecourse that recorded the people of Ripon, along with the troops stationed here at the time, holding a day of sporting fun on the Racecourse, shortly before the regiments were to leave for Flanders. The Racecourse has been working with Yorkshire Film Archive to organise a special screening as a ‘once in a century’ opportunity to commemorate those troops who fought and gave their lives in the First World War. *See additional press release attached*

The seven-race programme – set to begin at 1-50 p.m. – offers significant prize money of £130,000 with the racing highlight of the afternoon being The Download The Free Attheraces App Handicap Stakes (a £35,000 contest for stayers over two miles).

The winner of last season’s feature race, the Ed Dunlop trained ‘Trip To Paris’ went onto hit racing headlines around the globe. He went onto win the ‘Betway Chester Cup’ before being supplemented for the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot and dusting off some of the best horses in the land. He won in Caulfield, Australia before completing a stunning season finishing sixth in the Melbourne Cup.

The card also features two £25,000 races – The Visit attheraces.com/punchestown Handicap Stakes for sprinters over six furlongs and The RiponBET Our Profit Stay in Racing Handicap Stakes over one mile and a half.

James Hutchinson, Managing Director and Clerk of the Course said: “As a traditional Racecourse it only felt right to get behind the national celebrations for St Georges Day. We have some fantastic things lined up for the crowd to get into the festivities and with an attractive card of racing. it’s sure to be a day to remember. ”

“As well as the racing, the chance to honour and remember troops who were stationed in Ripon one hundred years ago, before heading off to fight at The Somme is such an important moment – and it is astonishing that we can actually see the Racecourse stands in the film, and that our race-goers on Saturday will be standing in exactly the same spot where those troops stood, one hundred years ago”

Race-goers will be able to follow all of the action on the course’s new permanent giant screen, along with the main races from the final meeting of the Jumps season from Sandown Park, including the bet365 Gold Cup Chase.

As always at Ripon, there is musical entertainment from the bandstand provided by the Wetherby & District Silver Band, and a selection of inflatables for young race-goers in the Course Enclosure (weather permitting) along with playgrounds in Course and Paddock Enclosures.

You can keep up to date with all the latest news and offers from the course on their social media pages, or by visiting their website