The Great St. Wilfrid Handicap is a flat race handicap run over a distance of six furlongs at Ripon racecourse.
The race derives its name from the patron saint of Ripon, St. Wilfrid. In fact the winning owner receives a trophy which depicts St. Wilfrid on horseback.
Ripon has hosted some of the most exciting, prestigious and enjoyable racing in the country for more than 300 years and this is the most valuable race on their calendar.
Here are some trends and statistics from the last ten runnings of the race.
Age (win-place-runners)
3-y-o: 1-1-8
4-y-o: 2-8-52
5-y-o: 4-7-47
6-y-o: 1-6-40
7-y-o: 2-5-24
8-y-o+: 0-3-25
The five-year-olds have been successful in the last six years.
Only one three-year-old has won since 1999 (Don’t Touch 2015). However no three-year-olds are left in the final declarations this year.
Weight
Carrying 9st 7lb+: 0-3-17
Carrying 9st-9st 6lb: 5-11-67
It may pay to concentrate on the racecard numbers 4-12 this year.
Form
- Ten out of ten winners had run at least three times in the current season. All the runners still entered pass on that criterion except Glen Moss.
- Eight out of the past ten winners had run in the past twenty one days. That may lead you scratch out Aeolus, Teruntum Star, Al Qahwa, Glen Moss and Dakota Gold, due to a lack of a recent run.
- Nine out of the last ten winners either ran at Newmarket, Goodwood, Haydock or Ripon last time out. The following horses DID NOT do so: Ice Age, Kimberella, Aeolus, Flying Pursuit, Teruntum Star, Golden Apollo, Brian The Snail, Al Qahwa, Foolaad, Glen Moss, Dakota Gold, Henley and Dark Power.
- The seven horses that DO qualify on the last run statistic are: Spring Loaded, Growl, Pipers Note, Shangai Glory, Gunmetal, Marie Of Lyon and Reputation.
- Five out of the last ten winners had previously won over course and distance. Qualifiers under that statistic are: Pipers Note, Kimberella, Teruntum Star, Flying Pursuit and Reputation.
Trainer Form
David O’Meara has trained the winner three times in recent years. He saddles just one horse on this occasion, Al Qahwa.
Richard Fahey has trained the winner once in the last ten years. He is represented by Kimberella, Growl, Brian The Snail and Marie Of Lyon.
It is pretty significant that Kevin Ryan has been knocking on the door in recent years, with six of his runners placing. Ryan is represented this time by Teruntum Star.
Tim Easterby won this last year with Mattmu and this time he saddles Golden Apollo and Flying Pursuit.
Effect Of The Draw
Drawn 1-10: 8-18-100
Drawn 11+: 2-12-96
Horses drawn in a favourable stall this year are: Spring Loaded, Ice Age, Growl, Golden Apollo, Pipers Note, Shangai Glory, Al Qahwa, Reputation, Dakota Gold and Henley.
Price
Eight of the last ten winners of the race have been 11/1 or shorter. Horses that have come from the first five in the betting have had a significant prominence.
The first five in the horse racing betting odds for information purposes on the evening of Thursday 16th August were: Growl, Pipers Note, Golden Apollo, Flying Pursuit, Kimberella.
*Please check out the first five in the betting on the actual race day itself.
Notable Runners
Pipers Note
The Ruth Carr-trained Pipers Note was narrowly defeated by Mattmu in last year’s renewal and comes into this race at the top of his game.
The eight-year-old chestnut gelding is an eight time winner at Ripon and has won over course and distance.
His trainer Ruth Carr told ATR’s Simom Mapletoft: "Pipers Note is in flying form. He absolutely loves the place and goes into the race on a hat-trick so we’re really looking forward to it.
"He finished second to Mattmu in the race last year, who was a Group-class performer having his first run in a handicap, so that was a really good effort. It would be great if he could go one better on Saturday and I’m very hopeful."
He looks sure to put in another bold show.
Growl
The Richard Fahey-trained Growl, who was last seen finishing an excellent third in the Stewards' Cup at Glorious Goodwood, looks the pick of the Malton-based trainer’s runners.
The six-year-old could only manage ninth in the Ripon feature last year after a slow start meant he was never in the hunt for glory.
Fahey's assistant, Robin O'Ryan, said: "He just hasn't had things drop right for him yet but he has shown more in his last two runs.
"At York he was drawn on the wrong side and then in the Stewards' Cup he got messed around a bit, but that happens in these races.
"He'd be our main hope if he runs, I imagine, but you need luck in these races, you could run it five times and get five different winners.
"A few more showers wouldn't hurt him, either, but he looks to be coming back to form."
Flying Pursuit and Golden Apollo
Stable companions Flying Pursuit and Golden Apollo, who dominated the finish of the Dash at York recently, are understandably prominent in the betting market.
The Tim Easterby-trained pair pulled clear of the field at York, with Flying Pursuit winning by a neck, but he is 1lb worse off on Saturday.
Gunmetal
Since leaving Charlie Hills, Gunmetal has scored a couple of times for his new trainer, David Barron.
He ran in the Stewards Cup at Goodwood last time and this race should be more his level. He appears to click with in form jockey Ben Curtis and they could easily go well at a nice each-way price.
888sport suggests: Pipers Note and Gunmetal (e.w)
