Long-standing Great St Wilfrid sponsors William Hill have continued their partnership with the MND Association, as they look to break the £500,000 mark for money raised for their partner charity.
The 2026 renewal of Ripon’s feature summer race will be run as the William Hill/MND Association Great St Wilfrid Handicap, as it was in 2025, as one of five co-branded races on this Saturday’s card.
The second race on the card, the Racing For Tamara Ripon Hornblower EBF Novice Stakes, continues to be dedicated to Tamara, a former William Hill colleague living with MND, whose family will be present on the day to award the trophy.
Alongside the Racing For Tamara Ripon Hornblower EBF Novice Stakes and William Hill/MND Association Great St Wilfrid Handicap, the bookmaker and charity also team up with the William Hill Supporting MND Silver Cup Handicap, William Hill World Free From MND Handicap and Ashley Smith Memorial William Hill Fillies' Handicap.
The 2026 edition follows the success of last year’s sponsored raceday, which featured bespoke number seven saddlecloths to mark the legacy of MND Association patron and Leeds Rhinos legend Rob Burrow.
Lee Phelps spokesperson for William Hill, said: “We are excited to once again be teaming up with the MND Association this Saturday for a special raceday at Ripon.
“As one of the longest standing sponsorships in racing, Great St Wilfrid Day at Ripon is always significant for William Hill, and this year we’re thrilled to be continuing our partnership with the MND Association after a successful raceday in 2025, which saw over £30,000 donated to our partner charity.
“We’re delighted to once again be giving MND Association the profits from both the Great St Wilfrid and the Silver Cup, as we look to soon pass the £500,000 mark for money raised for our partner charity. This would be a landmark achievement and is something the wider evoke business is very proud of.
“This year we have five co-sponsored races on the card, with the William Hill/MND Association Great St Wilfrid Handicap being the day’s feature race. We are proud to continue our sponsorship of the Racing For Tamara Ripon Hornblower EBF Novice Stakes in memory of one of our former employees and pleased to welcome back her family to present the trophy to the winning connections.”
Director of Income Generation for MND Association, Jo Coker, said: “We’re delighted to be returning to Ripon Racecourse with William Hill following the success of last year’s Charity Race Day. The event not only raised significant funds to support people with motor neurone disease (MND) and their families but also helped shine a spotlight on the realities of MND and the urgent need for continued investment in support and research.
"Since last year's event, more than 2000 people have been told they have MND and there is no cure. That stark reality underlines why events like this, and the ongoing support of William Hill and evoke, are so important in helping us reach more families today while investing in the research breakthroughs for tomorrow."