Yorkshire Jockeys Horse Racing

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Ripon hosts the opening meeting of the 2013 ‘Go Racing In Yorkshire Racing Summer Festival’ this Saturday (July 20), when staging a seven-race programme, due to start at 2-00 p.m.
 
 The Festival – which concludes at Pontefract on Sunday week – aims to showcase all that is best about racing in the county. To celebrate the opening day of the Festival, racegoers at the main entrances will be greeted by fire eaters and stilt walkers, while prior to the first race, there will be a fly-past signalling the start of the Festival. There’s even an electric horse to admire!
 
There’s also the chance to win a VIP day out at the final day of the Welcome to Yorkshire Ebor Festival at York next month – including a £200 bet with Sky Bet and an overnight stay at Raithwaite Hall – in a special racecard competition running throughout the Festival. Younger racegoers can enter a Mascot-naming competition for a chance to win family day tickets to a Yorkshire meeting in 2014 and a Sugar Rush sweetie hamper.
 
 The afternoon’s principal race is The Ripon Bell-Ringer Handicap Stakes, a £25,000 contest over one mile and a half, while also featured are The Sky Bet Supporting The Yorkshire Racing Festival Handicap Stakes (one mile and a quarter) and The Infinity Ecomax Tyres Handicap Stakes (one mile), along with The EBF yorkshire.com Maiden Stakes – a contest for two-year-olds over five furlongs – supported by The European Breeders’ Fund.
 
 The opening race on Saturday is The Dobson Gaskets Selling Stakes over six furlongs, while other highlights are The Age UK Fit As A Fiddle Handicap Stakes (one mile and a half) and The CHS Vehicles Handicap Stakes – a contest for sprinters over six furlongs.
 
Former racehorses now under the care of ‘New Beginnings’, a community interest company – based in Yorkshire – will be in attendance, enabling racegoers to see them at close hand. Also, racegoers will be able to obtain information regarding some of the local racing syndicates and racehorse ownership from the ‘Go Racing in Yorkshire’ mobile information unit.
 
Yorkshire Radio will be broadcasting from the course, as part of their commitment to the Festival, and there’s a preview of the afternoon’s racing in the winners’ enclosure. Musical entertainment on Saturday is provided by The Ripon City Band, while Ripon’s permanent giant screen will enable racegoers to see even more of the action.