William Hill are sponsoring the Great St Wilfrid Stakes for the 25th year running at Ripon, North Yorkshire’s ‘Garden Racecourse’, and make Growl their 7/1 favourite for the 6f sprint which has, as usual, attracted a big field, though he can be backed at 8/1 elsewhere. Richard Fahey’s gelding was also favourite last year but was never seen without a chance, though is now on a 10lb lower mark and has run well this season without managing to get his head in front.
Great St Wilfrid Stakes History and Trends
Wilfrid was one of the greatest of English saints but not universally popular during his lifetime. His links to Ripon are tenuous to say the least but he is the town’s patron saint and his name has long been associated with the racecourse’s biggest day of the year.
- This is one race in the calendar in which the local trainers hate to be outshone by their southern counterparts. The last eight winners have all been trained in Yorkshire – David O’Meara has won in three times in the last seven years and Richard Fahey twice. O’Meara has only one runner this year but Fahey has four.
- The one trend that punters must get on their side is that the last 11 winners of the Great St Wilfrid Stakes have had a BHA rating of between 92 and 100. That suggests that the top four in the handicap, and the bottom two, will all have to produce exceptional performances to come out on top.
- Most recent winners had won at least a Class 3 handicap previously and though the three-year-old Don’t Touch won three years ago, those aged between four and seven have generally fared best. It’s usually an advantage to have raced in the three weeks previously and to have been placed at least once in the last three starts but this is not usually a race for sprinters that have been on the go for while.
- Three winners of the last five winners have had single-figure draws and last year’s winner, Mattmu, came out of stall 10 but, prior to 2014, a higher draw had been an advantage.
Though Paul Hanagan rides Growl, I’m not certain that he is his stable’s best hope of victory. Youngster Oakley Brown rides KIMBERELLA and takes off a valuable 7lb. His mount is 4lb lower than when last seen running in a handicap on Turf, when he was only beaten a length. The eight-year-old has looked as good as ever this year and won a Listed race at Chester less than two weeks ago. He’s oblivious to the state of the ground and surely represents a bit of value at the 12/1 with Boylesports.
Tim Easterby’s Golden Apollo (a general 10/1) was just touched off by stablemate Flying Pursuit (11/1 with most bookmakers) at York three weeks ago and there should be little between the pair again. Spring Loaded (also a best 11/1) didn’t enjoy much luck in-running in the Stewards’ Cup at Goodwood but is worse off with third Growl. Pipers Note has won here six times and was second in the Great St Wilfrid last year when a pound higher but in only a best 9/1.
William Hill Great St Wilfrid Handicap Current Best Odds
Growl 8/1, Pipers Note 9/1, Golden Apollo 10/1, Spring Loaded and Flying Pursuit 11/1, Kimberella 12/1, Al Qahwa and Shanghai Glory 14/1, Gunmetal, Ice Age, Dark Power and Teruntum Star 16/1, Aeolus and Marie Of Lyon 20/1, Brian The Snail, Dakota Gold, Foolaad and Henley 25/1, Glen Moss and Reputation 33/1
(Odds correct at 2.45pm August 16)
