Ripon’s annual Family Sunday Meeting takes place this weekend (May 18), when the action at Yorkshire’s ‘Garden Racecourse’ is scheduled to start at 2-10 p.m. (7 races). 

The day focuses on entertainment for the family, with a wide variety of free attractions for children available in the Course Enclosure, along with two playgrounds, ensuring youngsters have a fun-packed day. As usual at Ripon, accompanied children under 16 years of age are admitted free of charge into all enclosures. 

The feature races on Sunday include The C.B. Hutchinson Memorial Challenge Cup, a £13,000 Handicap contest for fillies and mares over the sprint distance of six furlongs, held in memory of Charles Hutchinson who was the managing director and company secretary of the Ripon Race Company Ltd. between 1930 and 1976, while The Ripon, Yorkshire’s ‘Garden Racecourse’ Handicap Stakes over one mile offers prize money of £25,000. 

The Middleham Trainers Association Handicap Stakes (one mile and a quarter) is a further highlight, while a couple of races are sponsored in aid of The Wooden Spoon Society (Yorkshire Region) which funds projects for disadvantaged children and young people. The races are The Wooden Spoon, The Children’s Charity Of Rugby Maiden Stakes and The Premex Services Stirring Children’s Smiles Charity Selling Stakes.

 For the second year, there’s a Handicap race for sprinters held in memory of Barry Taylor, who was a respected local Ripon businessman, who was an annual member of the racecourse for many years.

 There will be musical entertainment during the afternoon from the bandstand, courtesy of the Harrogate Silver Band and racegoers will be able to follow all of the action on the course’s permanent giant screen.