Flat Pattern Committee

Karl Burke, who has sent out more Royal Ascot-winning two-year-olds in the last decade than every other trainer bar Aidan O'Brien, has emerged as a fierce opponent to planned changes to the Windsor Castle Stakes, describing the new race conditions announced by the British Horseracing Authority's Flat Pattern Committee (FPC) as a "ridiculous idea". In a press release issued by the FPC on Tuesday, it was revealed that the distance of the Windsor Castle will be increased to six furlongs from 2026. In addition, the Listed contest will be restricted...

The Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot will be run over six furlongs from 2026, as well as being restricted to two-year-olds whose sire won a race over at least seven furlongs (1400m) at the age of two, or at least a mile (1600m) at the age of three and upwards. The changes were announced on Tuesday by the British Horseracing Authority's Flat Pattern Committee (FPC) and follow the Group 1 upgrades announced in February by the European Pattern Committee (EPC), with the aim of safeguarding the production, retention and...

Following ratification by the European Pattern Committee (EPC), there are several additional changes to the UK 2023 Flat Pattern and listed race programme, the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) Flat Pattern Committee (FPC) announced on Wednesday. The following races have been repositioned or relocated within the existing programme to help achieve a better spread of black-type opportunities in the relevant age and distance categories in 2023: Listed Abingdon S. (10f, 3yo, f, early June), previously run at Newbury, will now take place at Goodwood on Sunday, June 11 and be run...

In its latest update on Wednesday, the British Horseracing Authority's Flat Pattern Committee revealed that plans remain for the G1 2000 Guineas and G1 1000 Guineas to be staged on June 6 and 7, respectively, while the G1 Investec Derby and G1 Investec Oaks are both set for Saturday, July 4. The G1 Eclipse S. will take place on July 5, and Royal Ascot remains on its original dates of June 16 to 20, though some changes to the order of races "will be confirmed as soon as possible." The...

The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has issued an update from the Flat Pattern Committee which outlines a revised schedule of Pattern and Listed races for the end of May and early June. With the aim to "prioritise the Classics and other flagship races for horses most likely to provide a future fundamental role on behalf of the breed", the committee, working under a "best-case scenario" for a mid-May resumption of racing in Britain, is planning to rescue a number of abandoned races from the early part of the season. These...