RA push to revise national racing calendar

Racing Australia has announced it will form a working party to review the racing calendar with an over-riding national focus.

The group will be charged with analysing the structure and relevance of the Australian Pattern guidelines which help determine which races are allocated black-type status.

Among the working party’s main goals will be an assessment of the current racing calendar from a national perspective, including the timing of Group One races, to determine if the industry is maximising opportunities.

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It will also examine the potential to integrate “innovation” events, such as the Everest and All-Star Mile, into the Pattern framework.

Those races do not carry Group or Listed status.

The working party will be convened by RA chairman Greg Nicholls and include two representatives nominated by each of Racing NSW and Racing Victoria and another three representing the remaining states and territories.

RA has set a deadline of July 31 for the working party to present its report to the Australian Pattern and Development Committee, which will assess the findings and issue a recommendation to the RA board.