Ripon Races holds its final meeting of a lockdown-affected season today.

In common with other horseracing venues across the UK, Yorkshire’s garden racecourse, with its paddock-side geraniums and lush lawns, can reflect on a reined-back and restricted year of business.

From February, the Boroughbridge Road course played an important role in the fight against the covid pandemic.

Over six months, more than 27,000 jabs were put in the arms of people from Ripon and surrounding areas, who attended the temporary vaccination centre  set up in the Wakeman Bar.

With the 2021 horseracing season now at an end for the course, it will again be utilised as a centre for the delivery of booster jabs.

Ripon Races marketing manager, Jon Mullin, told the Stray Ferret:

“It was surprising to discover that for many local people, it was the first time they had been through our gates.

“We hope that some of them returned later in the year to enjoy a day at the races and they will be made most welcome if they come to join us on Saturday.”

For many years, Ripon has been known as Yorkshire’s garden racecourse

The seven-race card begins at 2.20 with a novice stakes and features the Class 2 Ripon Cathedral City of the Dales Handicap over six furlongs.

Ripon’s management is hoping for a good-sized crowd as the curtain comes down on a 17-day season.

It can look back on a difficult year, whose highlights were the William Hill-sponsored Great St Wilfrid Handicap and EBF Ripon Champion Two-Year-Old Trophy, both run in August.

Mr Mullin pointed out:

“We have been pleased to see racegoers of all ages back on course and with life steadily returning to normal, we will build on this year and plan ahead with more certainty for next season and another 17 days of racing.”

Ripon’s restricted season began in April and its first four meetings took place behind closed doors, with strict social distancing and hygiene measures in place.

As the vaccination programme picked up pace and the covid lockdown eased, crowds of up to 4,000 were allowed in the enclosures from 27 May and with the complete lifting of restrictions in July, the course began its return to business as usual.

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Ripon’s racing history

Meetings have been held at the racecourse for 121 years and the city has a rich horseracing heritage.

The first recorded races were held on nearby Bondgate Green in 1664 and over the next 236 years other venues hosted meetings.

In 1723, history was made when the first-ever race exclusively for lady riders was held in Ripon.