Flat - Races at risk of downgrade
Following the meeting of the European Pattern Committee on 7 February 2025 at France Galop's headquarters, and an exceptional meeting of the Board of Directors on Friday 14 February 2025, several changes to the Black Type programme were approved.
Information about races at risk of downgrade in the 2024 season
Six races were at risk of being downgraded following the 2024 season. Four of them retain their status :
- Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp Longines (Group 1) : The race had to obtain a minimum rating of 113,5 in 2024. It obtained a rating of 114,5 and hence retains its status. As a reminder, the rating of a race is assessed by the average rating of the first four horses.
- Prix de Malleret (Group 2) : In 2024, the race had to obtain a minimum rating of 106. As it obtained a rating of 108, it retained its Group 2 status. Like the Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp Longines, if the Prix de Malleret had failed to meet the required rating, it would have been subject to downgrade by majority vote at the European Pattern Committee Meeting.
- Grand Prix du Département 06 – First leg of the Défi du Galop (Listed) : It needed to obtain a minimum rating of 100 in 2024 and as it obtained a rating of 102,5, it kept its Listed status. If this Listed race at Cagnes-sur-Mer had not obtained the required rating, it would have been automatically downgraded.
- Grand Prix de Nantes – 14th leg of the Défi du Galop (Listed) : It needed to obtain a required rating of 100 in 2024 and actually obtained a rating of 103,75. It hence retains its status. It is important to highlight the number of incentives that the Nantes racing authorities introduced, with a €10,000 bonus offered to the winning owner, as well as an €250 allowance for each horse with a rating of 45 or higher.
Two races, however, were downgraded. Both had been at risk of an automatic downgrade :
- Prix du Gros-Chêne loses its Group 2 status and is now a Group 3 race. It needed a rating of 110 to retain its status, but only obtained a rating of 106,25 in 2024.
- Prix Cérès loses its Listed status and will hence no longer be a Black Type race. It obtained a rating of 103 in 2024 compared to the required 104,5.
Races at risk of downgrade after the 2025 season
Four races are at a potential risk of downgrade :
- Prix Eugène Adam (Group 2) must obtain a minimum rating of 110 in 2025. If it doesn’t obtain the required rating, it will be subject to downgrade by majority vote.
- Derby du Languedoc (Listed) must obtain a minimum rating of 100 in 2025. If it doesn’t obtain the required rating, it will be automatically downgraded.
- Derby du Midi (Listed) must obtain a minimum rating of 100 in 2025. If it doesn’t obtain the required rating, it will be automatically downgraded.
- Grand Prix de la Riviera Côte d’Azur – Jacques Bouchara – Polytrack Challenge (Listed)must obtain a minimum rating of 100 in 2025. The race took place on 25 January at the Cagnes-sur-Mer racecourse and was won by Hooking. As of now, it seems that the required rating will be met. The Listed is one of the two finals of the Polytrack Challenge, sponsored by Polytrack, a brand from the Martin Collins Group. Polytrack (PSF) all-weather racing surfaces are installed in France and there is a €40,000 bonus available for both finals (Speed/Mile and Intermediate/Classic).