Group 1 Metropolitan no more – Dramatic action taken as Racing NSW backs away from race condition changes

The Metropolitan, a historic staying race first run in NSW in 1863, has been immediately downgraded, with international authorities removing its Group 1 status.

Just as trainers are ramping up the preparations of horses being aimed at the October 3 2400m race run on Epsom Handicap day at Randwick, the Asian Racing Federation made the stunning decision to make The Metropolitan a Group 2 race.

The ARF endorsed the Asian Pattern Committee’s move less than two months after the bodies had spared the race from the ignominy of losing its Group 1 title.

In a statement released late on Thursday, the ARF blamed Racing NSW for backing away from previously agreed plans to change the conditions of the race which would have meant it retained its Group 1 badge at least for this season.

At the APC’s July meeting – a Zoom gathering where members endorsed 19 new Australian black-type races and rubber-stamped the Golden Eagle as a Group 1 – delegates were told that The Metropolitan had failed to meet rating parameters for the past three seasons.

As a result, consideration was given to downgrading the race.

“At that meeting, the APC considered a submission from Racing Australia, which included a proposal from Racing NSW, to implement material changes to the race conditions,” Thursday’s ARF statement said.  

“Conditional on those changes being implemented, the APC determined that The Metropolitan should remain at Group 1 for the 2026/27 season.

“Racing Australia subsequently notified the APC that Racing NSW has determined not to proceed with the proposed changes to the race conditions, and requested that The Metropolitan be downgraded to Group 2 for this year’s running of the race.  

“This downgrade was endorsed by the APC and approved by the ARF Executive Council.”

The International Grading and Race Planning Advisory Committee (IRPAC) of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA), which is responsible for subsequently reporting any significant decisions to the Society of International Thoroughbred Auctioneers prior to publication in the International Cataloguing Standards Book 2027, has been informed. 

The Australian Bloodstock-owned and Ciaron Maher-trained Royal Supremacy won last year’s edition of The Metropolitan while Land Legend (2024), Just Fine (2023), No Compromise (2022) and Montefilia (2021) have also won the Sydney spring feature in recent years.

Last Saturday’s first-up Randwick winner King Of The Sea and last-start Grafton Cup winner King Pedro are joint $6 favourites in pre-nomination markets while Mr Monaco ($8), Green Spaces ($11) and Soul Of Spain ($11) are also high up in betting on the eve of the spring.

At the July meeting of the APC, whose Australian representative is Racing Australia chair Rob Rorrison, decisions were made on stakes races from August until December.

Another APC meeting is planned for next week where delegates are set to hand down their verdict on black-type races scheduled for January through to July.

Australian authorities last December were sensationally stripped of their right to determine the make-up of its stakes race calendar as overseas jurisdictions became fed up with local bodies failing to follow the internationally recognised ground rules. 

Racing Australia was the vehicle for pattern protocols to be followed but due to power of veto held by Racing Victoria and Racing NSW, and their inability to agree to major black-type reforms, it led to the stalemate that dragged on for nearly a decade.

Upon Racing Australia losing its independence and the lack of a Pattern Committee being in place, a Black Type Advisory Group (BTAG) was established to assess and make recommendations to the Asian Pattern Committee about the make-up of the stakes race program.

But the APC is not obligated to adhere to those recommendations.