Europe Reduces Black-Type Races for Fifth Straight Year

At its primary 2026 meeting held Feb. 5 at the offices of the Ministry of Agriculture in Rome, the European Pattern Committee reviewed all pattern and listed races staged in Europe in 2025 and approved several changes to the 2026 European Flat black-type program. The EPC sanctioned a total of 811 black-type races (814 in 2025) to be held in Europe in 2026, comprising 409 group races (411 in 2025) and 402 listed races (403 in 2025). Upgrades, additions and notable changes The EPC approved the upgrade of two group 3 races to group 2 status. In France, the Prix Paul de Moussac at Paris Longchamp (1400 meters, 3yo, early June) is upgraded to group 2 status after consistently exceeding the necessary ratings requirement and is intended to offer the main steppingstone to the group 1 Prix Jean Prat over the same distance approximately one month later. Germany successfully applied to upgrade the Bavarian Classic at Munich (2000 meters, 3yo, early May) to group 2 status. The Bavarian Classic has a strong record of producing Deutsches Derby contenders in recent years and will strengthen the German middle-distance pattern race pathway at this time of the year. The EPC also sanctioned five new Listed races across Europe. France will create a new listed race for 4-year-old and upwards fillies and mares over 1600 meters at Paris Longchamp in mid-May (Prix Esotérique). In Germany, a trial race for the Deutsches Derby over the distance of 2050 meters will be introduced at Dortmund with Listed status two weeks prior to the Derby. Ireland have created a new 2-year-old fillies' listed opportunity over 7 furlongs at Cork in mid-August (Firville Stakes), and both Italy and Sweden have reinstated conditions races back into the black type program—the Premio Emanuele Filiberto at Milan (2000 meters, 3yo, early May) and the Jägersro Sprint (1200 meters, 3yo+, mid-May), respectively. It is also worth reminding that 12 months ago, the EPC approved group 1 upgrade for the Golden Fleece (G1), a race for 2-year-olds at Leopardstown on Irish Champions Weekend in mid-September. As communicated at the time, this change—in tandem with an increase in race distance from 8 furlongs to 9 furlongs—will be enacted for 2026. Other key changes to note include the decision of France Galop to move prominent pattern races from a Sunday fixture at Paris Longchamp to a Thursday night, with the aim of showcasing quality racing to a younger audience. The Prix d'Ispahan (G1)(1850 meters, 4yo+), Prix Vicomtesse Vigier (G1) (3100 meters, 4yo+), and Prix du Palais-Royal (G3) (1400 meters, 3yo+) will all move to that Paris Longchamp midweek slot in 2026 (May 21) and so be run three days earlier than before. The Prix Hocquart (G3) (2200 meters, 3yo) and listed Prix de Montretout (1600 meters, 4yo+) will move in the opposite direction to bolster the vacant Sunday fixture at Paris Longchamp (May 24), alongside the Prix Corrida (G2) (2100 meters, 4yo+ fillies and mares), which was previously run midweek at Saint-Cloud. The Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (G1) (2400 meters, 4yo+) will take place a week later from this year (July 5) in order to push the race a further week on from Royal Ascot, and a similar rationale applies to the week later date for the Prix Jean Prat (G1) (1400 meters, 3yo) at Deauville (July 12). France Galop also successfully applied to run the Prix Alec Head (G2) (formerly the Prix de Pomone, 2500 meters, 3yo+ fillies and mares) a week earlier (Aug. 15) to create better spacing with the Prix Vermeille, which was shifted forward by one week last year as part of the movement of Arc Trials Day. Due to Capannelle racecourse not being operational until September, MASAF has successfully applied to move the black-type races due to be run in Rome during the first half of the year to San Siro racecourse in Milan, aside from one listed contest (Premio Natale di Roma) which moves to Florence. This will mean that the Premio Parioli (G3) (Italian Two Thousand Guineas), Premio Regina Elena (G3) (Italian One Thousand Guineas), and Derby Italiano (G2) will all be run at a different venue this year. Horse Racing Ireland also confirmed temporary host venues for Tipperary's five black-type races while that venue is closed for the development of an all-weather surface, and in Britain a further point of interest was the name change for the race at York formerly known as the 1895 Duke Of York Stakes (G2) (6 furlongs, 3yo+, mid-May), which will now be named the Minster Stakes. As well as the black-type changes announced above, the EPC was pleased to remove the threat of sanctions from Italian racing in recognition of the significant progress made by MASAF in Italy in terms of the regularization of its prize money payments and improvements to its administrative procedures in line with the standards expected. Quality Control The EPC remains resolute in strictly enforcing the highest standards of international quality control. Across Europe, a total of four pattern races have been downgraded in 2026, with a further three listed races losing that status. Those races are: Italy Group 2 Premio Dormello (Milan) downgraded to group 3 Group 2 Premio Lydia Tesio (Rome) downgraded to group 3 Group 2 Premio Roma (Milan) downgraded to group 3 Listed Botticelli (Rome) loses Listed status Listed Repubbliche Marinare (Rome) loses Listed status Listed Vittorio Riva (Milan) loses Listed status Scandinavia Group 3 Scandinavian Open Championship (Copenhagen) downgraded to Listed In addition to these downgrades, the group 3 Prix Pénélope at Saint-Cloud (France), listed Prix Scaramouche at Saint-Cloud (France), listed Spring Mile at Jägersro (Sweden), and listed Swedish Open Mile at Bro Park (Sweden) were all voluntarily deleted from the black-type program. Races at risk of downgrade in 2027 A total of 22 pattern and listed races will be at risk of potential downgrade in 2027 depending on their performance in 2026. By nation, the spread of races is as follows: Britain - 3 France - 4 Germany - 5 Ireland - 3 Italy - 5 Sweden - 2 Jason Morris, chair of the EPC, said: "The EPC has reduced the number of scheduled black type races for a fifth year in a row, with the total falling from 853 races in 2021 to 811 races in 2026. This reflects the collective responsibility that the EPC member countries share towards enforcing quality control. "The EPC also recognizes the challenges being faced with falling foal populations and a diminishing supply of high-quality horses throughout Europe, and it will continue to work collaboratively to keep this critical issue under review. "In this regard, the EPC has warmly welcomed MASAF's commitment to revitalize and relaunch the Italian racing and breeding industry, which includes ambitions for securing an upgrade of an existing race to group 1 status in the future. The prize money of the group 2 Premio del Jockey Club at Milan in October has been doubled to €500,000 for 2026 as a race that Italy is targeting for potential promotion."