BRITISH racing’s Champions Weekend of flat racing in October was broken up this week in a raft of programme changes announced by the European Pattern Committee.

Last year Newmarket staged the first Future Champions Day – which included the Middle Park, Dewhurst and Fillies’ Mile – on a Friday in mid-October. Ascot hosted its Champions Day 24 hours later.

However, Future Champions Day will be staged on a Saturday a week earlier this year and the Middle Park Stakes has been moved to a September date on the Cambridgeshire card.

In France, the Jean Luc Lagadere (Group 1), run at Longchamp on Arc weekend, will change in distance from seven furlongs to a mile. The Criterium International (Group 1) will now be run over the shorter distance of seven furlongs (reduced from a mile), and it will be run on the same day as the 10-furlong Criterium de Saint-Cloud.

MAJOR TWO-YEAR-OLD RACE CHANGES

  • Group 1 Middle Park Stakes (6f) moved away from Future Champions Day (mid-October) to Saturday, September 26th, staying at Newmarket (pending BHA/Newmarket agreement)
  • Future Champions Day (Dewhurst, Fillies Mile) to be run a week earlier (from Friday, October 16th to Saturday, October 10th) (pending BHA/Newmarket agreement)
  • Group 1 Jean-Luc Lagadere for two-year-olds on Arc day at Longchamp changed from 1,400m (7f) to 1,600m (1m)
  • The one-mile Group 1 Criterium International and 10-furlong Group 1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud (both for two-year-olds) will be run on the same November 1st card.

    • IRISH UPGRADE

  • *Ridgewood Pearl Stakes at the Curragh in May upgraded from Group 3 to Group 2

    • GROUP 1 RACES AT RISK OF DOWNGRADE

  • Prix Royal-Oak at Longchamp
  • Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh
  • Criterium de Saint-Cloud at Saint-Cloud
  • Presidente della Repubblica and Premio Roma at Capannelle
  • Premio Milano and Premio Jockey-Club at San Siro