STABLE staff of trainers with runners in the four races sponsored at Ripon this season by Black Sheep Brewery of Masham will be in with a chance of winning a special cash bonus of £1,000.

As a reward for supporting the quartet of races - the first two of which take place on Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday evening - stable staff will be in line for the prize, based on a system which rewards both placings obtained and number of runners from the stable.

Both races next week are handicap races for three-year-olds, with Tuesday afternoon's contest being over 1m, while Wednesday evening's race is over six furlongs.

Patrick Green, director of Black Sheep Brewery, said: "Black Sheep Brewery is sandwiched between the racing centre of Middleham and Ripon racecourse, so we are especially pleased to get more closely involved in supporting the sport. I hope our licensees and drinkers enjoy cheering the winners as much as we will."

Ripon's clerk of the course, James Hutchinson, said: "This is a tremendous incentive for stable staff to have runners in the four races sponsored by Black Sheep Brewery at Ripon this summer. I'm sure the competition for the prize will be intense as the people who look after these thoroughbreds are rewarded for their efforts."