On Saturday, meetings are being held at Newbury, Market Rasen, Newmarket, Cartmel, Haydock and Lingfield. There’s further action at Ripon and the opener is a 6f contest for 2-year-olds. This is a historic venue and one that female jockeys have much to thank for!
Join RaceBets And Claim Your Welcome Bonus Now!Racing At Ripon
By no means amongst the oldest courses in the United Kingdom, racing only began at Ripon at the turn of the 20th-Century. However, don’t be fooled into thinking that this neck of the woods is not steeped in equine racing history.
In fact, races were taking place here as early as the year 1664. Back then, the action was taking place on a nearby piece of land called Bondgate Green. Next to the old course was a railway station, as well as the River Ure.
Ladies First
Interesting fact – Ripon was the first racecourse to hold an event that was for female jockeys only. It almost certainly took place much earlier than you think! This race was held in 1723!
Track
This is an oval-shaped course which runs right-handed. The course distance is 1m 5f. There is a 5 furlong run-in and the bend that comes before this is very sharp. It is known to be a technically difficult track and one more suited to experienced horses. There is also a 6 furlong sprint course which joins the main track.
Enclosures
There are 3 enclosures at Ripon- the Club Stand, the Paddock Enclosure and the Course Enclosure, which can be found in the centre of the track. There is an enormous video screen at Ripon and this lets the spectators follow the action all of the way around the course.
The Garden Racecourse
Ripon Racecourse is in the heart of the famous Yorkshire Dales – an area that is extremely popular with hill-walkers and holidaymakers. It is known as the Garden Racecourse because of the local residents love of tending their beautiful lawns and flowerbeds. This is among the most beautiful parts of Northern England.
Only flat racing takes place at Ripon. Around 15 meetings are scheduled to be held in each calendar year. The Great St Wilfred Heritage Handicap is the most important handicap race to be held here. It carries a purse of £70,000. Other important Ripon encounters include the Horn Blower Stakes, the Bell-Ringer Stakes and the Ripon Rowels Stakes.
Getting There
Ripon is between three important Yorkshire conurbations – Harrogate, Thirsk and York. It is very easy to get to (by car or by rail) and always offers up a great day for families and groups of friends. Expect the racecourse to be quite busy on warm summer days, due to the amount of tourists that will be in the region to enjoy the Yorkshire countryside. Admission to Ripon is not expensive and there are plenty of affordable bars and restaurants on the course. Parking is free of charge.
Betting With RaceBets
If you are planning a trip to Ripon, why not avoid the risk of being caught in long bookmaker queues? Create a RaceBets account and you can place your bets before you arrive. This will leave you more time to enjoy the atmosphere at this terrific Northern racecourse.
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