Issued on behalf of the European Pattern Committee in London
At its annual meeting held on Thursday 24 January at the offices of the BHA, the European Pattern Committee (EPC) considered a number of changes to Flat Pattern and Listed races in Europe for 2019.
Following the meeting Brian Kavanagh, Chairman of the EPC, said:
“The Committee continues to observe the highest standards of quality control and has downgraded races where necessary and put racing authorities on notice of races at risk of downgrade in 2020. Regrettably, the downgrades included Italy’s final remaining Group 1 race, the Lydia Tesio. The Committee welcomed the attendance of representatives of the Italian Ministry for Agriculture and their commitment to address the difficulties which had shrouded Italian horse racing and thoroughbred breeding in recent years. Pending completion of a series of reforms to address these difficulties, Italy will have the status of an associate member of the European Pattern.
“The Committee was pleased to support France’s request to provide an end of season opportunity at Group 1 level for fillies at longer distances as part of the Europe wide initiative to improve the programme for staying horses. Other notable changes were the upgrade of the City of York Stakes at York to Group 2 level, a reduction in distance of the Prix Jean Prat (Group 1) and an improvement to the early season programme for two-year-old fillies in Ireland.
“2018 was an exciting year for Pattern racing throughout Europe and these changes will ensure that 2019 offers an improved programme. The Committee genuinely wishes to restore Italy to full membership as soon as possible and will work with the Italian authorities to further this objective.”
- Upgrades
The Committee approved upgrades for seven Pattern races and five new Listed races in 2019, including the Prix Royallieu (ParisLongchamp) to Group 1 and the City of York (York), the Balanchine (Curragh) and the Dormello (Milan) all to Group 2.
Races listed by date, handle, racecourse/country, age/sex and distance.
Upgraded from Group 2 to Group 1
| 05/10/19 | Royallieu | ParisLongchamp, FR | 3yo+ f | 2800m |
Upgraded from Group 3 to Group 2
| 28/06/19 | Balanchine | Curragh, IRE | 2yo f | 6f |
| 24/08/19 | City of York | York, GB | 3yo+ | 7f |
| 20/10/19 | Dormello | Milan, ITY | 2yo f | 1600m |
Upgraded from Listed to Group 3
| 19/05/19 | Juvenile Fillies’ Sprint | Naas, IRE | 2yo f | 6f |
| 11/10/19 | Pride | Newmarket, GB | 3yo+ f | 10f |
| 12/10/19 | Zetland | Newmarket, GB | 2yo | 10f |
New Listed Races
| 24/03/19 | TBC | Naas, IRE | 4yo+ | 10f |
| 02/05/19 | TBC | Chelmsford, GB | 3yo f | 6f |
| 06/05/19 | TBC | Curragh, IRE | 2yo | 5f |
| 04/08/19 | TBC | Deauville, FR | 3yo | 1200m |
| 09/08/19 | TBC | Clairefontaine, FR | 4yo+ | 1800m |
- Downgrades
Two Pattern races and seven Listed races were downgraded by the Committee following their 2018 renewals.
Overall, the net position saw two Pattern races added to the European programme in 2019 and the number of Listed races reduced by one.
Downgraded from Group 1
| 04/11/18 | Lydia Tesio | Rome, ITY | 3yo+ f | 2000m |
Downgraded from Group 3
| 15/07/18 | Zawawi Cup | Jagersro, SWE | 3yo+ | 1200m |
Downgraded from Listed
| 16/12/18 | Sablonnets | Deauville, FR | 2yo | 1500m |
| 28/10/18 | Neue Bult Pokal | Hannover, GER | 3yo+ | 1600m |
| 20/05/18 | Rochestown | Naas, IRE | 2yo | 5f |
| 12/10/18 | Carlingford | Dundalk, IRE | 3yo+ | 11f |
| 29/04/18 | Carlo Chiesa | Rome, ITY | 3yo+ f | 1200m |
| 26/08/18 | Norsk Derby | Ovrevoll, NOR | 3yo | 2400m |
| 23/07/18 | GP d’Avenches | Avenches, SWI | 3yo+ | 2400m |
- Quality Control / Races at Risk of Downgrade in 2020
Europe continues to set the highest standard across the globe in terms of quality control of its Pattern and Listed races.In accordance with the EPC Ground Rules, races that underperform consistently are identified as at risk of downgrade, after which the host racecourse is put on notice that if the race fails to achieve the required performance rating, it could be downgraded the following year.
As a consequence of this monitoring, 24 races comprising 14 Pattern races (2 Group 1s, 6 Group 2s and 6 Group 3s) and 10 Listed races have been identified as being at risk of downgrade in 2020. The Group 1 and Group 2 races at risk of downgrade are below.
Races listed by country, date, handle, racecourse, age/sex and distance.
France
| 01/07/18 | Malleret | Saint-Cloud | 3yo f | 2400m |
| 15/07/18 | Eugene d’Adam | Maisons-Laffitte | 3yo | 2000m |
Germany
| 10/06/18 | Diana Trial | Berlin | 3yo f | 2000m |
| 08/07/18 | Deutsches Derby | Hamburg | 3yoc&f | 2400m |
| 27/08/18 | Goldene Pietsch | Baden-Baden | 3yo+ | 1200m |
| 23/09/18 | Europa | Cologne | 3yo+ | 2400m |
Italy
| 13/05/18 | Presidente Della Repubblica | Rome | 4yo+ | 1800m |
Turkey
| 03/09/17 | Tokapi Trophy | Veliefendi | 3yo+ c&f | 1600m |
- Italian Racing
The Committee welcomed the attendance of representatives of the Italian Ministry for Agriculture, and their commitment to address the difficulties which had shrouded Italian horse racing and thoroughbred breeding in recent years. The EPC remains concerned about the ongoing situation and for the future of the horseracing and breeding industries in Italy. After lengthy debate it was agreed that the EPC would place certain specific requirements on Italy, including those relating to the prompt payment of prize money, as well as requirements pertaining to the regulation of their sport including out of competition testing.
The EPC will be monitoring progress in Italy closely over the next 12 months. Throughout this process Italy will retain membership of the EPC but will become an Associate Member, with immediate effect. Unfortunately the Lydia Tesio has been downgraded to Group 2 which means that Italy no longer stages a Group 1 race. The EPC will work with Italy to try to progress matters as quickly as possible such that Italy will hopefully become a full member of the EPC again in the near future.
- Turkey
Due to an outbreak of glanders in Istanbul in 2017, the three Turkish Pattern races held in early September 2018 had to be closed to international competition. As a result, the EPC will confirm to the International Grading and Race Planning Advisory Committee (IRPAC) that the races should be regarded as domestic Group races for 2018 and have their status altered retrospectively in the 2019 publication of the International Cataloguing Standards book.
- Staying Race Programme
On the back of the widescale and long-term project being undertaken by the BHA, the EPC agreed during 2016 to lend its strong support to both protecting and enhancing the programme for the staying horse across Europe. Having discussed the subject in detail on a number of occasions, the committee has embraced the goal of future-proofing the continuation of the quality stayer and, to this end, has agreed a number of specific enhancements to the stayers’ Black Type programme over the last three years.
This year will see some further progress being made, most specifically with the change to the Prix De Royallieu, run at ParisLongchamp over the Prix De L’Arc De Triomphe weekend, which will have its distance extended from 2500m (12.5 furlongs) to 2800m (14 furlongs) and be upgraded to Group 1. This time last year the EPC agreed to the upgrade – to Group 2 – of the Lillie Langtry for fillies and mares at Glorious Goodwood, alongside a number of other enhancements to the Black Type programme for staying fillies across Europe.
The creation of an end-of-season Group 1, staged at one of Europe’s biggest festivals, acting as a culmination for high quality fillies and mares with meaningful stamina, is a considerable step forward for this project. The EPC also agreed, as part of the stayers’ project, to the upgrade of the Zetland Stakes (10f 2yo) at Newmarket’s Future Champions Festival to Group 3.
- Prix Jean Prat
The Group 1 Prix Jean Prat is to be reduced in distance from a mile to seven furlongs. The aim is to make this race a target in its own right for 3yos, providing such horses with a clear path towards either the Maurice de Gheest and/or the Jacques Le Marois. It occupies a position in the calendar where there is an obvious gap for such an opportunity and the proposed change was supported unanimously by the committee.
Notes to editors:
1. CHANGES TO THE EUROPEAN PATTERN FOR 2019
Races listed by date, handle, racecourse/country, age/sex and distance.
UPGRADES / DOWNGRADES
Upgraded from Group 2 to Group 1
| 05/10/19 | Royallieu | ParisLongchamp, FR | 3yo+ f | 2800m |
Upgraded from Group 3 to Group 2
| 28/06/19 | Balanchine | Curragh, IRE | 2yo f | 6f |
| 24/08/19 | City of York | York, GB | 3yo+ | 7f |
| 20/10/19 | Dormello | Milan, ITY | 2yo f | 1600m |
Upgraded from Listed to Group 3
| 19/05/19 | Juvenile Fillies’ Sprint | Naas, IRE | 2yo f | 6f |
| 11/10/19 | Pride | Newmarket, GB | 3yo+ f | 10f |
| 12/10/19 | Zetland | Newmarket, GB | 2yo | 10f |
New Listed Races
| 24/03/19 | TBC | Naas, IRE | 4yo+ | 10f |
| 02/05/19 | TBC | Chelmsford, GB | 3yo f | 6f |
| 06/05/19 | TBC | Curragh, IRE | 2yo | 5f |
| 04/08/19 | TBC | Deauville, FR | 3yo | 1200m |
| 09/08/19 | TBC | Clairefontaine, FR | 4yo+ | 1800m |
Downgraded from Group 1
| 04/11/18 | Lydia Tesio | Rome, ITY | 3yo+ f | 2000m |
Downgraded from Group 3
| 15/07/18 | Zawawi Cup | Jagersro, SWE | 3yo+ | 1200m |
Downgraded from Listed
| 16/12/18 | Sablonnets | Deauville, FR | 2yo | 1500m |
| 28/10/18 | Neue Bult Pokal | Hannover, GER | 3yo+ | 1600m |
| 20/05/18 | Rochestown | Naas, IRE | 2yo | 5f |
| 12/10/18 | Carlingford | Dundalk, IRE | 3yo+ | 11f |
| 29/04/18 | Carlo Chiesa | Rome, ITY | 3yo+ f | 1200m |
| 26/08/18 | Norsk Derby | Ovrevoll, NOR | 3yo | 2400m |
| 23/07/18 | GP d’Avenches | Avenches, SWI | 3yo+ | 2400m |
GROUP 1 AND GROUP 2 RACES AT RISK OF DOWNGRADE IN 2020
Races listed by country, date, handle, racecourse, age/sex and distance.
France
| 01/07/18 | Malleret | Saint-Cloud | 3yo f | 2400m |
| 15/07/18 | Eugene d’Adam | Maisons-Laffitte | 3yo | 2000m |
Germany
| 10/06/18 | Diana Trial | Berlin | 3yo f | 2000m |
| 08/07/18 | Deutsches Derby | Hamburg | 3yoc&f | 2400m |
| 27/08/18 | Goldene Pietsch | Baden-Baden | 3yo+ | 1200m |
| 23/09/18 | Europa | Cologne | 3yo+ | 2400m |
Italy
| 13/05/18 | Presidente Della Repubblica | Rome | 4yo+ | 1800m |
Turkey
| 03/09/17 | Tokapi Trophy | Veliefendi | 3yo+ c&f | 1600m |
