Ripon hosts it’s most valuable race day of the season on Saturday which last year had £215,000 of prize money on offer including a total pot of £100,000 for the feature race, ‘The William Hill Great St Wilfrid’.
The prestigious 6f Handicap has been sponsored by William Hill for 30 years, and showcases some of the country’s top sprinters. Steve Mullington has also cast his expert eye over the card at Newbury on Saturday, with a full betting preview available here.
1.35pm – 1m Juddmonte EBF Restricted Novice Stakes
Trainer Karl Burke is as hot as the British weather at the moment, boasting a 35% strike rate after sending out 12/34 winners in the past fortnight.
This makes his horse URCHIN, a very interesting runner in a trappy little two-year-old contest, with his sire Ulysses catching the eye.
2.10pm – 6f Ripon Hornblower EBF Novice Stakes
This famous old race only has four runners this year, but it’s still a pretty difficult heat to unpick, with all the entrants having some sort of a chance.
The final vote however goes to the Pontefract scorer GOLD QUEEN KINDLY (NAP), who will find this Ripon six furlongs much less demanding than the six at Ponte, and will get the opportunity to stride out better in the closing stages here.
2.45pm – 6f William Hill Silver Cup Handicap
Course and distance winner BAY BREEZE is very difficult to ignore for each-way purposes in our horse racing odds, given his favourable weight of just 9st 4lb.
The six-year-old thrives at Ripon and can do so again under jockey David Allan.
3.20pm – 6f William Hill Great St Wilfrid Handicap
Cragg Wood Racing have had plenty of successes at Ripon down the seasons, especially with handicappers such as Mark’s Choice etc, and at odds of around 50/1 in the betting, their BEYOND BORDERS is too big a price to ignore.
The four-year-old has indifferent form figures this season, but can be dangerous in this Class 2 affair off such a lowly weight.
3.50pm – 1m William Hill Handicap
Veteran GARDEN OASIS showed he still loves a battle when beating his OAP contemporaries at Pontefract over this very trip ten days ago.
Despite carrying joint top-weight on Saturday, Tim Easterby’s charge looks to hold a great chance of taking home the silverware.
4.24pm – 1m4f William Hill Fillies’ Handicap
The game and consistent SHIELAS WELL can run another stormer against her own sex in the penultimate contest of the afternoon.
Successful over 1m2f here in June, this daughter of Saxon Warrior should not be inconvenienced by the extra two furlongs.
4.59pm – 1m2f Handicap
LITTLE TED won the equivalent race on this card two years ago, and must enter calculations once more.
Last seen running over a distance that was probably too short for him at Pontefract, Little Ted can bounce back at a track he pricks his ears at.
*Odds subject to change – prices accurate at the time of writing*
