Ripon gallops to Small North racecourse title

Ripon Racecourse has retained its crown as Best Small Racecourse in Northern England once again for 2015.
Ripon Racecourse collects best Small North title.Ripon Racecourse collects best Small North title.
Ripon Racecourse collects best Small North title.

After being awarded the title in 1996, 2003, 2009, 2011 and 2014, Yorkshire’s Garden Racecourse is the first in the Small North category to win the Racegoers Club award back to back.

James Hutchinson, Managing Director and Clerk of the Course said: “Back to back wins of this award is a real credit to the work put in by all the team at Ripon and gives us a target to continue aspiring to.”

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This year’s award follows substantial maintenance and refurbishment work over the past few years which has seen Ripon invest in various new bar facilities and the introduction of their own on-course betting operator ‘RiponBET’.

Their 2016 season starts with an afternoon of racing on Thursday April 14, before their St George’s Day celebrations on Saturday April 24.

A Ripon spokesman said: “The Board of Directors is committed to continuing investment to keep building on the great quality racing and functionality of the racecourse.

“This winter’s project has seen a complete resurfacing of the hard standing concrete in front of both the Paddock and Club Stands.”

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The racecourse also invested this winter in a brand new 40 msq big screen through MediaPoint.

The screen has replaced their permanent big screen which was the first to be installed at a UK Racecourse back in 2002.

Members of the official club for racing fans in Britain voted for Cheltenham as their number one racecourse for 2015.

The vote across the 5,000-strong membership of the Racegoers Club saw the Prestbury Park track take the honour for the 12th year in a row despite ongoing redevelopment throughout 2015.

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These prestigious awards are always eagerly anticipated by the racecourses and regionally saw York win the overall Northern title and Doncaster the Midlands West overall.

A Ripon spokesman added: “With the Club’s 5,000 strong membership going racing on average over 30 times per year, and travelling far and wide thanks to the Club’s extensive concession scheme and comprehensive diary of social events, no-one is better qualified to reward the worthy national and regional winners.”

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