Four Grade 1's down graded

Golden Horseshoe
Golden Slipper
S A Oaks
Gold Cup

www.sportingpost.co.za/2016/01/sa-feature-races-downgraded/

So no gr1 staying race in sa

Cant really argue about their being too many G1 races. Especially the 2 year olds as described
and I would also argue with fillies only races too.

I haven't seen the actual requirement for the Asian pattern race committee pattern race status but the article mention performance of placed horses over a 3 year period. Perhaps if these horses were not lumped with ridiculous merit ratings because of an early G1 performance the 3 year performances would look a bit better?

Maybe having fewer handicap G1 or more WFA G1 would also be of value?

We should have at least 1 stayers G1 . If there is a cut down of G1s in general, perhaps getting the better horses that are just behind the current champ, incentive to compete at more distance may be a side effect?

Cant help being a bit concerned this is being brought on by the fact that SA is becoming a more attractive international racing/breeding/ purchasing venue. Also concerned about how this will affect sponsorships of these events losing status?
At the end of the day the overall health of SA racing should be main criteria rather than just satisfying international interests, although parity is important.

With all this equality won't the ladies be up in arms ?
Surely the name of Derby and Oaks should be upheld ( maybe I am just old fashioned )

The National Horseracing Authority has taken a decision to downgrade four races from Grade 1 to Grade 2. The races to be downgraded in 2016 are:

· Golden Horseshoe

· Golden Slipper

· S A Oaks

· Gold Cup


The downgrading of these races followed a recommendation from the Graded Races Committee. The Graded Races Committee had received a letter from the Asian Pattern Committee expressing concern that the number of Grade 1 races in South Africa was excessive compared to other countries. The Asian Pattern Committee has in fact suggested that ideally South Africa should have no more than 25 Grade 1 races and against this background, the Graded Races Committee has agreed to aggressively review all of South Africa’s Grade 1 races over the next few years. The down grading of the aforementioned races is the first phase of this process.

In 2011 South Africa agreed to comply with the Ground Rules of the Asian Pattern Committee. In terms of the Ground Rules all races must justify their grading by the quality of its runners. The quality of the field is assessed primarily by the annual race ratings of the first four placed horses over a three year period. The Asian Pattern Committee also expressed concern that a number of South African Grade 1 races did not measure up to the international standards.

In recommending that the Golden Horseshoe and the Golden Slipper be downgraded, the Graded Races Committee was of the view that the number of Grade 1 races for 2-year-olds was excessive. These races had also not measured up to the international standards over the past years.

The S A Oaks and the Gold Cup also fell short of the international requirements for Grade 1 races. Notwithstanding that these are of the best races in their category, the overall quality of staying horses in South Africa unfortunately does not compare with other countries in Part 1 of the International Cataloguing Standards.

Enquiries:
C B Hall
Chief Executive

Feel sorry for the SA Oaks - it had only one recent season as a Gr1.

Gold Cup (handicap) for me was always Gr2.

I think they should trade off the grades with the Summer Cup (also a handicap) and make the Dingaans a Gr1.

The July (also a handicap) can remain a Gr1 because of its popularity to the best 3 year-olds.

Now, the Australians should downgrade the Melbourne Cup (handicap).

Why Asia? Why not Europe?
What are the International standards?

Same 12 horses entered in every grade1 1200m to 2400m

1 Derby
1 oaks

Maybe move them from Gauteng to KZN to the Cape

None of these races mean anything to anyone apart from the breeders atm

Bob Brogan wrote: 1 Derby
1 oaks

Maybe move them from Gauteng to KZN to the Cape

None of these races mean anything to anyone apart from the breeders atm

Nothing wrong in every province in having their own Guineas and Derby's, it's the term where they use "South African" Guineas or the Derby should be looked at. That race should be allocated where the best 3yo lines up. In other major countries their Derby's and Oak's are sometimes run over 2000m, so maybe the Woolavington at Greyville should be named the Oaks. BTW the Woolavington before was open to all age and sex and remember a horse Sweet Secret winning this race in consecutive year's and was ridden by Conrad Wilkinson in one of them I think.

Off the topic has any horse in South Africa won all the Guineas in the 3 major provinces or the Derby's or the Oaks for that matter.

In America there is a Derby run nearly every week from February or so and I will love to know which horse won the most Derby's or Oaks in a single season.

I am sure that the rationale behind which races to downgrade could be debated for hours however I do think that there is a problem now with the two year old program.

We now have grade 1 races for Two year olds over, 1160,1200 & 1600m
In the past we had 1200, 1400 & 1600m which made sense, so why not downgrade the JHb race which is over 1160m?

How many owners attend the JHB meeting or are interested in attending compared to the amount that want to attend the JULY where they have a horse running in a Grade 1?

As far as staying races go the question to ask is how many 3200m races are there in KZN in a season?

A mate of mine asked me about horse racing and my horses yesterday as i think he is interested in getting involved. My reply was quite simple, racing is a mugs game, any savvy business man that applies logic will be frustrated to no end.... stay away.