Graded Stakes Committee Annual Report
- Monday, 10 August 2009 00:00
As a result of the review two races have been de-listed and two races promoted to Listed status. No Group races have been promoted or relegated this season.
The Riverton Racing Club Carriers Arms Hotel Riverton Cup [Registered name Riverton Cup] and the Auckland Racing Club Easy Mix 3YO Handicap [Registered name to be confirmed] have been promoted to Listed status for the 2009-10 season.
The Riverton Cup has performed very well over the past three seasons and the Club is to be congratulated on its successful promotion of the event.
The Easy Mix Handicap is a three-year-old 1200m event conducted on the final day of the Auckland Cup Carnival and has been very strong for the past four years.
The Committee felt that its inclusion in the Listings would also enhance the pattern of Black Type racing for three year olds.
The Dunedin Casino Invercargill Gold Cup and the Christchurch Casino Winter Classic have been de-listed.
Unfortunately both races have performed poorly for a number of years.
The Invercargill Gold Cup has been under warning for seven years and a second warning for the past three years.
The Winter Classic has been under a warning for seven years and a second warning for the past four years.
Both races again rated at the lower end of races in their categories and the Committee felt that their continued inclusion in the listings had the potential to compromise the integrity of New Zealand's Group & Listed race schedule.
The Committee is of the view that to maintain flexibility for future deliberations 1st warnings will be issued at the earliest sign of decline in the quality of a race.
There are currently 33 races under 1st warnings compared with 34 last year. 19 races are under 2nd warnings compared with 22 last year.
The Committee also formally adopted the ANZ Classifications as its primary statistical assessment tool, however will continue to take other criteria into account, including the number and quality of Black Type performers in a race, race conditions (i.e. weight-for-age, set weights, set weights and penalties, handicap), prize money, New Zealand Handicapper Ratings, and other factors including historical importance, regional factors, opportunities for the different aptitude categories and races being impacted by bad weather.
Media Release - New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing
