Innovative Ripon joins forces with other Yorkshire courses to promote the sport

Ripon has taken the innovative measure of inviting fellow Yorkshire tracks to sponsor races on Friday evening's card.

Beverley, Catterick, Pontefract and Wetherby sponsor four of the six races at the meeting, and annual members at any of those tracks will be able to attend Ripon's Friday night fiesta in the club enclosure for free. Go Racing In Yorkshire will also be in attendance to help with the cross-promotion.

Explaining the reasoning for the novel approach, Ripon's marketing manager Jonathan Mullin said: "There is a bigger picture. By getting other racecourses involved and having them promote themselves during the evening we're trying to create racing fans.

"We're happy if they want to try other racecourses and if people are going racing that can only be a good thing."

For the past three seasons Ripon has staged a free raceday designed to get new customers through the door, but this season the approach has changed, with live music added to the bill in a bid to offer more value and attract a different audience. Racegoers are able to attend for £5 and enjoy pop band Five after racing.

Mullin added: "This is about giving people the opportunity to come racing and trying to appeal to as wide an audience as possible."

Ripon Friday card

As well as the discounted £5 entry to the racecourse and paddock enclosure, tickets to the club enclosure are available at £15, a saving of £8.

Get exclusive insight from the track and live tipping with Raceday Live - our up-to-the-minute service on racingpost.com and the Racing Post mobile app