Three New Zealand races given Group 1 reprieve after ratings review

The New Zealand Oaks and New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes will remain Group 1 races for at least the next season, as will the Telegraph, after each triggered a review of its race ratings.

All three races had fallen below the required Group 1 benchmark for three consecutive seasons. The Asian Pattern Committee accepted submissions from New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR) arguing that each race continued to merit its classification.

The decision preserves New Zealand’s full programme of 18 Group 1 races for the season, with their status beyond then still to be determined.

“We demonstrated why each race, on its individual merits, continues to warrant Group One status,” NZTR senior handicapper and New Zealand representative on the committee Bruce Sherwin said.

“The Committee considered those submissions carefully and supported our position. This is an excellent result for New Zealand racing and breeding.”

The committee recognised the breeding importance of the New Zealand Oaks, a 2400-metre Classic for three-year-old fillies, and the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes, the country’s only Group 1 restricted to fillies and mares.

NZTR had already changed the programme around both races to improve field quality and protect their international standing.

The Oaks was moved to Ellerslie and brought forward to two weeks before the New Zealand Derby. NZTR said the revised position would strengthen the relationship between the two Classics while giving fillies a better pathway towards Australian autumn races. The Group 2 Lowland Stakes was also repositioned to provide a revised lead-up.

The New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes returned to its traditional late-March slot at Awapuni. Its placement alongside the Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes created a programme containing two Group 1 races and five black-type events.

NZTR also pointed to the international performance of New Zealand-bred horses when making its breeding case. Ka Ying Rising, bred in New Zealand, recently reached a rating of 135 in the Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings system.

The Telegraph required separate consideration after the Railway’s transfer to the Karaka Millions meeting affected the depth of its field. NZTR said the Railway move had been required to secure World Pool participation.

NZTR responded by relocating the Telegraph to Trentham’s late-March programme, where it will be staged on a card featuring three Group 1 races. Its prize money was left unchanged even as several other New Zealand Group 1 contests were reduced.

“The depth of the Telegraph field was affected by the Railway’s move to the Karaka Millions raceday, which was required for World Pool participation,” Sherwin said.

“The Telegraph remains one of New Zealand’s premier sprint contests, and its new position in the calendar has helped secure its Group One status for another year.”

The three races were among five New Zealand Group 1 contests examined in the broader ratings process. The Livamol Classic retained its status because of the quality of its fields and its historical standing, while the Thorndon Mile was downgraded to Group 2. Its $500,000 prize money was retained despite the change in classification.

In Australia, the Metropolitan Handicap recently lost its Group 1 status, with a host of other Group 1 races staged in the second half of the season also set for review. An announcement is expected in the coming days.