Ripon’s 2013 season comes to a resounding conclusion on Saturday (September 28) with a quality seven-race programme at Yorkshire’s ‘Garden Racecourse’ which is scheduled to begin at 2-10 p.m. with a contest for maiden two-year-olds supported by The European Breeders’ Fund.
The principal race is The Ripon Cathedral City Of The Dales Handicap Stakes, a contest for sprinters over six furlongs, offering increased prize money of £30,000 with the chief supporting races being The Trevor Ingham Celebration Handicap Stakes (one mile and a half), The Ripon Land Rover Nursery Handicap Stakes (for two-year-olds over one mile), The freebets.co.uk Maiden Stakes (one mile and a half) and The SIS Live Handicap Stakes – a contest for sprinters over five furlongs.
Stuart Hogg supports the afternoon’s Selling race, a contest for apprentice riders – The Carole Hogg & Andrene Dickins Stakes over six furlongs.
Ripon’s permanent giant screen will enable racegoers to follow the action in more detail, while The Wetherby & District Silver Band provide the musical entertainment from the bandstand. There’s also a selection of attractions for youngsters in the Course Enclosure – dependent upon the weather – while there are permanent play areas in both the Paddock and Course enclosures.
Going into this final meeting of the season, Richard Fahey, who is based at Malton, leads the way in the race to be Ripon’s top trainer this season, closely pursued by David O’Meara, while Graham Gibbons has a very narrow advantage over Tony Hamilton the in the jockeys’ category.