Ripon’s 2015 season comes to a resounding conclusion this Saturday (September 26) with a quality seven-race programme at Yorkshire’s ‘Garden Racecourse’, scheduled to begin at 2-05p.m, with the course celebrating the end of another successful season with a Pop-Up Beer festival and live music.

Getting into the spirit of the 2015 Rugby World Cup, the racecourse have teamed up with the tournaments partners Heineken and local brewery Theakstons of Masham to help racegoers get behind the England Ruby team for their World Cup campaign. Although the racecourse isn’t showing the fixture which starts after racing at 8pm, a day at the races is certainly a great way to spend the afternoon before cheering on the boys take on Wales in what is set to be the pick of England’s qualifiers.

The Theakstons Pop-Up Beer festival located in a marquee on the Paddock lawn will have a wide range of ales on offer from the Masham-based brewery, with Heineken providing a selection of lagers and ciders. Local musician Lewis Fieldhouse will also be performing in the ‘Beer tent’ throughout the afternoon.

Turning to the racing, the principal race on the card is The Ripon Cathedral City Of The Dales Handicap Stakes, a contest for sprinters over six furlongs, offering prize money of £30,000 with the chief supporting races being The Theakstons Legendary Ales Handicap Stakes (one mile and a half). Other races include The Ripon Land Rover Nursery Handicap Stakes (for two-year-olds over one mile) and The Michael Raby Memorial Apprentice Handicap Stakes (for three-year-olds and over over 6f).

Saturday’s meeting will be the first raceday where Ripon’s brand new big screen will be in use. Ripon made the headlines in 2002 by becoming the first racecourse in the country to install their own permanent big screen. The new screen provided by MediaPoint is part of their continued investment to improve racegoers experience.

The wonderful ‘Cabaret Band’ provides the musical entertainment from the bandstand, while there’s also a selection of bouncy castles and inflatables in the Course Enclosure – dependent upon the weather. There are also permanent play areas in both the Paddock and Course enclosures.

Going into this final meeting of the season, Malton based trainer Richard Fahey has a solid lead in the race to be Ripon’s top trainer this season, while Tim Easterby’s stable jockey David Allen tops the table in the riders’ category.

The conclusion of the season coincides with the racecourse recently winning the Gold Rose Award at the annual ’Yorkshire in Bloom’ Awards held in Harrogate. The racecourse continues to excel with their picturesque grounds and proudly continue to carry the name of ‘Yorkshire’s Garden Racecourse’.