The European Pattern Committee, in releasing its changes for 2016 Thursday, revealed that it will examine the continent's program for stayers to address a trend in the decline in the pool of horses racing at a mile and a half and beyond. The EPC recently carried out a similar examination of the sprinting program, resulting in changes to the pattern-race program last year.
The EPC noted work is being done in Britain to enhance the staying program just below black-type level, and other European countries are expected to follow suit. A sub-committee comprising the BHA's Ruth Quinn, France-Galop's Henri Pouret, and Horse Racing Ireland's Jason Morris will meet in the spring to discuss possible enhancements at the black-type level.
The committee also revealed its upgrades and downgrades for 2016. Five fewer black-type races–a total of 846–will be contested in Europe in 2016. Six new pattern races and four new listed races will be run. Two races at The Curragh were upgraded from Group 3 to Group 2 status: the 14-furlong Curragh Cup in June and the seven-furlong Minstrel S. in July. There will be four new Group 3s: Newbury's Aston Park S., France's Bertrand de Tarragon S., York's City of York S. and The Curragh's Flame Of Tara S.
Europe will stage five fewer pattern races and nine fewer listed races in 2016.
Two Group 1s were downgraded, both in Italy: the Gran Premio Di Milano, which will now be for 4-year-olds and up in June, and the Presidente Della Repubblica Capannelle, which will now be run over 1800 meters instead of 2000 meters, have both been downgraded to Group 2. Italy's Carlo Vittadini was also downgraded from Group 2 to Group 3, and its Omenoni S. was bumped from Group 3 to listed, along with Sweden's Pramms Memorial S. Italy is also home to three of the four Group 1 races in Europe at risk for potential downgrade in 2017: the Vittorio di Capua, the Jockey Club S. and the Premio Roma. The other is France's G1 Prix du Cadran.
While Italy fared worst in downgrades, some positive news came out of the country, which in recent years has faced exclusion from the EPC after not paying out prize money. All prize money owed to domestic owners from 2012 through 2014 has been paid out, and it was noted at the meeting the Italian Ministry for Agriculture is working towards ensuring all prize money for black-type races will be paid to connections within the EPC's limit of 90 days post-race.
Nine European races lose listed status this year: three in France, two in Germany, two in Italy, one in Norway and one in Sweden.
The EPC deemed the changes made to Europe's sprint program in 2015 a success, pointing to the fact that every runner in the G1 Commonwealth Cup–Royal Ascot's new 3-year-old sprinting race–had earned black-type prior to that race, and the winner of every upgraded trial took part in the race. The winner was Muhaarar (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), who went on to add three Group 1s against elders.
“The quality of Europe's black-type program remains strong and it was pleasing to note that six of the 10 highest-rated races in the world as announced by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities on Tuesday are staged in Europe,” said EPC Chairman Brian Kavanagh. “2016 will see 413 group and 433 listed races run in Europe, a decrease of five black-type races overall. The Committee will continue to implement the highest standards of quality control.”
“It was also encouraging to hear more positive reports from Italy, although their races continued to underperform,” Kavanagh added. “The success of the new sprint program has encouraged the Committee to adopt a Pan-European approach to the staying division and we have established a sub-committee to deal with this specific issue.”
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