Ripon’s most valuable and iconic race of the season, The William Hill Great St. Wilfrid Stakes – a famous Handicap for sprinters offering prize money of £70,000 – takes pride of place on a top-class card this Saturday (August 16) – the richest raceday of the season at Yorkshire’s ‘Garden Racecourse’ with total prize money of £144,000 up for grabs. For the third year, this meeting includes The William Hill Silver Trophy a £20,000 ‘consolation’ race for those horses entered for, but unable to get into the feature race. 

Contested over six furlongs, The Great St. Wilfrid Stakes celebrates 21 years of sponsorship by leading bookmakers, William Hill and another very competitive renewal is expected, with plenty of runners sure to face the starter, including several locally-trained horses; indeed this famous race has been won for the last four years by Yorkshire-trained horses. Last season’s winner, Baccarat (trained at Malton by Richard Fahey) has gone on the claim The Wokingham Stakes – a Heritage Handicap for sprinters – at Royal Ascot this year.

 The successful owner in Saturday’s big race will receive a silver trophy depicting Ripon’s Patron Saint, St. Wilfrid, mounted on horseback. 

 Racing on Saturday begins at 2-15 p.m. with a race for maiden two-year-olds – The RiponBET Place 6 Maiden Stakes over six furlongs.

 Two-year-olds are put through their paces in The Ripon Horn Blower Conditions Stakes over the sprint distance of six furlongs, offering prize money of £15,000. Fillies and mares take part in The British Stallion Studs European Breeders’ Fund Fillies’ Handicap Stakes (one mile and a quarter), while The attheraces.com Handicap Stakes – a £15,000 contest over one mile – and The SIS Live Handicap Stakes (three-year-olds – one mile and a half) are also featured. 

Musical entertainment from the bandstand is provided by The Lofthouse Brass Band 2000 and Ripon’s permanent giant screen will enable racegoers to see even more of the action. There’s a selection of rides such as bouncy castles and inflatables for children in the Course and Paddock Enclosures.