Balanchine Stakes granted Group 2 status The Curragh’s Balanchine Stakes is among the winners after the European Pattern Committee chose to upgrade several races for 2019. The mid-summer six-furlong race for juvenile fillies, held on the final day of the Irish Derby Festival, has been granted Group Two status as of this season. Registered as the Balanchine Stakes but run as the Grangecon Stud Stakes when dominated by Aidan O'Brien in recent times, it has been won by subsequent Group 1 winners Roly Poly and Clemmie while leading 1000 Guineas hope Skitter Scatter was second last year. The Curragh is also to stage a new Listed five-furlong race for juveniles, while Naas will do so over 10 furlongs for older horses. The EPC has, however, taken Listed status away from the Rochestown Stakes at Naas — as well as making significant changes to the Pattern outside Ireland. Chief among the beneficiaries elsewhere is the City Of York Stakes. Run at the Ebor Festival on the Knavesmire, the seven-furlong contest will become a Group Two — having been upgraded to Group Three status only in 2016. It was won by subsequent Breeders’ Cup hero Expert Eye last year. While accepting the proximity of the Hungerford Stakes at Newbury run over the same distance, the hope is in the future the York race may become a candidate for Group One honours. Newmarket’s Pride and Zetland Stakes have been upgraded from Listed to Group Three level — while Chelmsford has been awarded a new six-furlong Listed event for three-year-old fillies. However, despite concerted efforts, the British Champions Long Distance Cup failed to secure an upgrade to Group One level for British Champions Day on 2019. In France the Prix de Royallieu for fillies on Arc weekend has been upgraded to a Group One. Won by Gavin Cromwell’s Princess Yaiza last year, it will also be run over nearly two furlongs further. Italy has lost its final Group One race, the Premio Lydia Tesio, in which Luca Cumani gained his final top-level success with God Given last year.
