Turf Talk: Ripon Racecourse holds its biggest meeting of the year

Ripon Racecourse holds its biggest meeting of the year on Saturday where the William Hill Great St Wilfrid Handicap is the feature race.

This race carries a pot of £75,000 and attracts some of the country’s top handicap sprinters.

It is named after the patron saint of Ripon, with the winning owner receiving a silver trophy depicting St Wilfrid mounted on horseback.

So, who will win this year’s race? The nine-year-old Summerghand has done this column a few favours over the years and he should run well again, as should Equilateral.

Five-year-olds have triumphed in five of the last six runnings, so I am siding with Cairn Gorm to keep the trend going. He won well at York on his last appearance and his trainer, Kevin Phillipart De Foy, is currently operating at a 28 percent success rate.

The same trainer’s Clipsham La Habana could go well in the earlier consolation race, but first preference here is for course specialist Fortamour. He has won over the tricky Ripon undulations three times and was once rated 90.

A few below-par runs have seen him drop to a mark of 78, which he is clearly capable of winning from.

I am hoping for a good run from Klondike in the Group Three Geoffrey Freer Stakes at Newbury. He won on debut at Newbury and did not run too badly in the Bahrain Trophy.

He holds an entry in the Great Voltigeur at York next week and may be saved for that, but if turned out on Saturday is worth supporting.

The Group Two Hungerford Stakes can fall to Mostabshir. This grey colt was impressive when winning his Novice race at York’s May meeting. He was then thrown in at the deep end in a Group One at Royal Ascot where he wasn’t disgraced.

A drop back in trip and the fact that the blue and white colours of the Shadwell Stud are clearing up all the top prizes on a weekend make him a decent bet.

Garlick’s Goodies: Saturday Ripon 2:40 – Fortamour; 3:15 – Cairn Gorm; Newbury 1:50 - Klondike; 3:35 - Mostabshir.