A new Group 1 race over 6f exclusively for three year olds will be held at Royal Ascot next year. It is one of a number of changes to the European sprinting programme, designed to improve the quality of the tough competition.
The creation of the new race, which will be worth £375,000, comes after the news of the upgrading of races across Britain, Ireland, France, and Germany. These include the elevation of the Qipco British Champions Sprint on Champions Day to a Group 1 from Group 2.
King’s Stand Stakes and Diamond Jubilee will be joined by new Group 1 at next year’s Royal Ascot PICTURE: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)
Brian Kavanagh, the chairman of the European Pattern Committe, said: “For horses performing at every distance other than sprinting, the European Pattern provides a three-year-old only programme until mid-summer, when the Classic generation is considered ready to take on the older horses.
“The Committee believes it is no coincidence that when it comes to milers and middle distance horses, Europe can genuinely lay claim to having the best in the world, however, there is a definite lack of top class European three-year-old sprinters.”
The new Royal Ascot race, which has yet to be named, will be run on the Friday of the 5 day meeting and will replace the Buckingham Palace Stakes, a 7f handicap. The Diamond Jubilee will also become closed to three-year-olds as a result, though the King’s Stand will remain open to them.
Other elevated races include the: Prix Sigy at Chantilly, Pavilion Stakes at Ascot, Lacken Stakes at Naas and Prix Texanita at Maisons-Laffitte for three-year-olds, which will be upgraded to Group 3s and the Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock, which will be a Group 2 in 2015 having been Listed this year.
Kavanagh added: “We acknowledge the steps we have taken are bold, some may consider them radical. However, the committee believes they are warranted and that they will be of considerable benefit to European horseracing and breeding.”
Sprinters older than three can also rejoice. The upgrade of the Champions Sprint is joined by the upgrades of the Greenlands Stakes, Flying Five Stakes, and Sapphire Stakes at the Curragh and the Golden Peitsche at Baden-Baden to Group 2s.
“As is the case for any race granted Group status or an upgrade in exceptional circumstances, the performance of the races in question will be reviewed by the EPC after three years,” Kavanagh said.
Ruth Quinn, the BHA’s director of racing, believes the move is positive for British racing and will reduce the number of talented sprinters retiring to stud before their three-year-old season.
“The introduction of the new Group 1 race at Royal Ascot and the accompanying upgrades to existing races represents a tremendous opportunity for British and European racing and the overall package of measures is, I believe, a significant step forward,” Quinn said.
“We have seen a number of Group-winning horses retired to stud at the end of their two-year-old season, decisions which can only have been influenced by the absence of a suitable programme that plays to the horse’s strengths during their three-year-old campaign. We strongly felt that such outcomes are not in the best interests of the sport.”
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