William Hill will again partner with the MND Association on Great St Wilfrid Day at Ripon, the bookmaker and charity confirmed as the course prepares for its summer feature. The renewal keeps the race card closely linked to ongoing fundraising efforts, with five contests on the day to carry co-branded titles.
Five co-branded races on the card
The 2026 renewal of the feature will run as the William Hill/MND Association Great St Wilfrid Handicap, a continuation of the branding used in 2025. In addition to the feature handicap, the card includes the William Hill Supporting MND Silver Cup Handicap, the William Hill World Free From MND Handicap and the Ashley Smith Memorial William Hill Fillies’ Handicap.
One of the other races, the Racing For Tamara Ripon Hornblower EBF Novice Stakes, remains dedicated to Tamara, a former William Hill colleague living with motor neurone disease (MND). Her family are expected to be in attendance to present the trophy on the day.
Fundraising and wider aims
William Hill and the MND Association have a longstanding relationship at Ripon, with the bookmaker donating profits from key races to the charity. The partnership has previously produced notable fundraising results, with the 2025 raceday raising in excess of £30,000 for the MND Association.
The pair are working towards a milestone total of half a million pounds raised for the charity. As part of the arrangement, profits from both the Great St Wilfrid and the Silver Cup will be handed to the MND Association following the meeting.
Raising awareness within racing
Beyond the fundraising figures, the partnership is intended to keep MND visible within the racing community and among racegoers. The charity has emphasised the continued need for public support and investment in research and services for people affected by MND and their families.
In recent months the MND Association has highlighted the number of new diagnoses reported yearly, underscoring the urgency of sustained fundraising and awareness initiatives. Events that link sport and charity remain an important channel for engagement and for drawing attention to the condition.
What this means for racegoers and the meeting
For regular attendees and those travelling to Ripon, Great St Wilfrid Day will combine the familiar summer racing spectacle with an explicit charitable focus. The presence of multiple co-branded contests ensures the MND Association will be closely associated with the meeting throughout the card, and the involvement of Tamara’s family adds a personal dimension to the Racing For Tamara contest.
Racecourses and sponsors increasingly look to integrate charitable causes into festival fixtures, and Ripon’s arrangement with William Hill and the MND Association is an example of how that can be reflected across a full raceday programme rather than a single feature.
Looking ahead
As Ripon prepares for its summer highlight, the continuation of the William Hill–MND Association partnership offers both a sporting occasion and an opportunity for supporters to back a long-term fundraising relationship. The meeting will be watched not only for its on-track action but also for the contribution it makes to a charity working on care, research and campaigning for people with MND.
