Ripon racecourse is a horse racing track located in Ripon, England. It is owned and managed by the Ripon Race Company Ltd. The racecourse has been hosting race meetings for over 300 years now, and is well-known for hosting flat races. It is widely known as Yorkshire’s Garden Racecourse since it is situated in a peaceful and exciting atmosphere. The racecourse has a big permanent screen from which the racegoers can enjoy watching the races and replays. It has its own betting operator, enabling it to reinvest the money obtained from betting into its facilities. The racetrack is right-handed and oval in shape. It has three enclosures where the racegoers can view the races from-the course enclosure, which is situated in the middle of the race track, the Paddock Enclosure and the Club Stand.
The first race to be recorded at Ripon racecourse took place in 1664, with its venue being the Bondgate Green. In
1723, the course made history by staging the first race for lady riders. In 1900, the racecourse was relocated to Boroughbridge, which is its current venue. The first race meeting in the new venue was held on the 6th of August in the same year. It was voted for as the best small racecourse three times by the Racegoers Club.
The Ripon Champion Two Years Old Trophy is a notable race held in the racecourse. It takes place every August, being sponsored by the Irish Champions Weekend. Only horses aged two years are allowed to take part in the race. Another notable race taking place in the racecourse is the Great St. Wilfrid Stakes. It is sponsored by William Hill, and requires the horses to be three years and above in order to take part in the race. Ripon has a wide range of hospitality facilities, ranging from private boxes, suites and rooms for hire.