Ripon ready to lead way for Festival

There is a feast of high-quality fare at each of the eight Flat courses in the county, and the extravaganza isn’t just concentrated on the track itself, with those eager to go behind the scenes at one of the biggest powerhouse training centres in the UK getting the chance to visit Richard Fahey at his Malton stables.

He will open his doors to the public on Tuesday, with Ann Duffield and ‘sprint king’ Dandy Nicholls following suit on Wednesday and Thursday respectively.

There is the added bonus of performances from top bands Blondie and Scouting For Girls on the Knavesmire next weekend but, of course, centre stage should be reserved for the equine stars, with a bumper eight-race fixture kicking off the Festival at Ripon today.

During the height of summer, there is no better place for a family day out than Yorkshire’s garden racecourse, and the top trainers from the south are often attracted by the decent prizes on offer.

Roger Varian is enjoying an excellent first season after taking over the Kremlin House reins from the now-retired Michael Jarvis and was successful with his only previous runner at Ripon.

He bids to make it two out of two courtesy of Ittirad in today’s feature event, the Ripon Bell-Ringer Handicap.

Following a winning return to action at Newcastle, the son of Dubai Destination filled the runner-up berth in a competitive affair at the Dante meeting – a performance so encouraging it booked him his ticket to the Royal meeting.

A lack of stamina, rather than falling short in terms of class, was his downfall in the Queen’s Vase won by Mark Johnston’s Namibian, so he should relish the drop back from two miles and it shouldn’t be long before he tries his hand in better company again.

This race is dominated by Newmarket representatives, with the Sirs – Mark Prescott and Michael Stoute – sending Motivado and Kinryas, while Luca Cumani is responsible for impressive Leicester winner Midnight Oil, who is a son of Cumani’s Juddmonte International heroine One So Wonderful.

Fahey leads the home defence and has a host of leading players, headed by Kimbali in the British Stallion Studs EBF Stowe Family Law Maiden Stakes.

There was a good word for the Clodovil colt prior to his Beverley debut and he showed why when chasing home the experienced Springinmystep, who had previously acquitted himself well in the Windsor Castle at Royal Ascot.

With the outing now under his belt, Kimbali should improve significantly and may only have to repeat the level of that performance to go one better.

His stable companion Take It To The Max is sure to be on most shortlists for the tyregiant.com Handicap 35 minutes later.

Deemed good enough for Classic trials when in the care of George Moore, the four-year-old lost his way a bit until rejuvenated by the switch to Fahey’s team.

A Hamilton triumph on his return was followed by a couple of placings at Carlisle and he is allowed to compete here off the same mark.

Kevin Ryan has an enviable crop of juveniles in 2011 and although First Bid isn’t among the higher echelon of budding stars, he should still be good enough for the Welcome To Yorkshire Have A Brilliant Yorkshire Selling Stakes.

Victorious at this level on his second start at Yarmouth, he then proved a costly failure at Thirsk, but he was carrying plenty of weight then and is worth another try at this six furlongs.

Scarcroft trainer Richard Whitaker has placed Quanah Parker to good effect this term and he goes for the hat-trick in the Sky Bet Supporting The Yorkshire Racing Summer Festival Handicap.

Stepping up to a mile-and-a-quarter appears to have been the making of this five-year-old and he supplemented a win at Ayr by defying a 4lb higher mark at Newcastle. The assessor has hit him with another 5lb hike but he is racing at the top of his game and is worth sticking with, particularly if any rain arrives.

Whitaker holds further claims with Arrivaderci, who is less exposed than the vast majority of her opponents in the Dobsons Gaskets Maiden Handicap, while stablemate Pinotage is sure to have his supporters in the Bet British With totepool Handicap (Div 2), having run so well at Redcar and Beverley recently.

Guide to the month of festival racing

Saturday 16th July: Ripon Race Meeting (Opening Day).

Sunday 17th July: Redcar Race Meeting (Help for Heroes).

Monday 18th July: Beverley Race Meeting (Evening).

Tuesday 19th July: Open Morning at Richard Fahey’s Yard.

Wednesday 20th July: Catterick Race Meeting after open afternoon Ann Duffields’s Yard.

Thursday 21st July: Doncaster Race Meeting after open afternoon at David Nicholl’s Satellite Yard.

Friday 22nd July: Thirsk Race Meeting and York Race Meeting (Evening)/ Blondie performing live after racing.

Saturday 23rd July: York (Sky Bet Day Race Meeting)/ Scouting for Girls performing live after racing.

Sunday 24th July: Pontefract Race Meeting (last festival day including Championship presentations to leading jockey and trainer of the festival.