Significant reform to The Pattern, the graded system for black-type racing in Australia which has remained unchanged since 2019, is set to be considered by Racing Australia at its May 22 board meeting.
A working committee, put together in 2020, has compiled a report for consideration of Racing Australia, looking to end a stalemate which has prevented Racing Australia’s Pattern Committee from meeting.
The deadlock has been caused by an impasse between Racing Victoria and Racing NSW, both of which hold the right to veto Racing Australia's decisions. This stand-off has been exacerbated by establishing rich races such as The Everest, the Golden Eagle, and the All-Star Mile, which sit outside of The Pattern.
While The Pattern has been discussed at Racing Australia board meetings over the past four years, this will be the first time there is any prospect of action on its future.
However, a key difference of opinion remains between states on whether races should be assessed purely on ratings or have further discretion built in to ensure the race fits within a pattern.
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