The Australian Pattern Committee has recommended to the Australian Racing Board that Perth’s Winterbottom Stakes be upgraded to a Group 1 event.

The elevation of the Winterbottom Stakes to G1 status further strengthens the ‘Super Saturday’ race meeting to be run at Ascot on November 19.  The program will now feature two G1 events, a G2 and three Listed events on the 10 race programme.

But the Perth calendar will lose a Group 1 with the Pattern Committee recommending the WATC Derby be downgraded to a Group 2.  

“The Western Australian breeding industry has produced some of the world’s leading sprinters in recent years,” RWWA manager David Hunter said.  “It’s pleasing connections will now have an opportunity to compete in a Group 1 sprint event in their home state.”

Hunter is the WA representative on the Australian Pattern Committee.  “Although it is disappointing for Western Australia to lose Group 1 status on the WATC Derby, it has become obvious the race has failed to consistently perform to G1 standard in recent years.”

Following the downgrade, RWWA and Perth Racing have undertaken a realignment of prizemoney for three-years-old feature events.  The WA Guineas will be increased by $100,000 to $350,000 and the WA Champion Fillies Stakes by $25,000 to $250,000.

The changes proposed the Pattern Committee are as follows:

Upgrades

Winterbottom Stakes (Ascot)  G2 to G1
Bow Mistress (Hobart)  LR to G3
B J McLachlan Plate (Doomben)  LR to G3
Epona Stakes (Rosehill)  LR – G3
Maybe Mahal Stakes (Flemington)  LR to G3
Neville Sellwood Stakes (Rosehill)  LR to G3

Downgrades

WATC Derby (Ascot) G1 to G2
Randwick City Stakes (Randwick)  G3 to Listed
Tasmanian Derby (Hobart)  G3 to Listed
Toowoomba Cup (Toowoomba) Lost Listed status