Ripon declines Premier meeting status for track's richest day and claims 'it wasn't clear there was a real benefit'
![Summerghand: caught the eye in the Great St Wilfrid Handicap](/_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fs3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com%2Fprod-media-racingpost%2Fprod%2Fimages%2F169_1008%2F1aacb781e0fc-intrinsic-bond.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
Ripon chief executive James Hutchinson has no regrets about not joining the fixture revolution as he prepares to stage one of the biggest days of the year that is not a Premier meeting.
Implementing British racing's industry strategy meant a two-year trial of a revised fixture list, showcasing designated Premier meetings which offer a minimum of £250,000 in prize-money on the Flat.
However, when Ripon stages the William Hill Great St Wilfrid Handicap on Saturday, its richest card of the season will be worth £215,000 – and Hutchinson does not see the value of making up the shortfall to earn official branding.
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