Introduction

The APC was established by the ARB (formerly the Australian Principal Clubs) to categorise Australia's highest quality races. The APC aims to assist the provision of a co-ordinated programme of quality races in each age, sex and distance category within each state.

History and Overview

Group designations (G1, G2, G3) were inaugurated in 1971 for races conducted in England, France, Germany and Italy, and in 1973 for races conducted in the United States and Canada. In Australia, a committee of three (3) met in 1971 and established the first list of Black Type races conducted in each State.

In 1981, the International Cataloguing Standards Committee (ICSC) was formed and has worked to achieve uniformity of cataloguing standards throughout the world in a time of increasing internationalisation of racing and breeding. The ICSC - through The Jockey Club Information Systems (New York) - produces the Blue Book which divides the racing countries into three (3) parts and one (1) part for steeplechase/jump races.

Australia is one of fifteen (15) countries that have its Group & Listed races listed in Part 1, and is the world’s second largest racing country and has the second highest number of Black Type races.

The APC meets twice every year to:-

• Review the procedures, which include the criteria and working guidelines.
• to consider races for possible inclusion, upgrade or downgrade;
• to review the overall pattern to ensure adequate opportunities exist in each category and are maintaining a certain level of quality.
• to consider all other relevant business.

Working Guidelines and Criteria

The APC utilise the following Working Guidelines & Criteria in assessing races for "Black Type" status:-

It is advised that these Guidelines are used as a guide only and are flexible in their application.

1. A race shall generally have 2 runnings prior to being included in the Listings as a Listed event.

2. A race shall generally have 2 runnings as a Black Type race prior to being upgraded in the Listings.

3. A race can only be upgraded one level at a time.

4. A race can only be upgraded to Group 1 status if it carries Weight For Age or Set Weights conditions.

5. The APC endeavours to establish and maintain a "pyramid" approach in order to ensure integrity of the pattern with regard to the allocation of Australian "Black Type" races, i.e. Group 1 - 12%, Group 2 - 15%, Group 3 - 19%, and Listed - 54%.

6. The APC applies the following criteria when assessing the standard of a particular race:

i. The quality of the field is to be assessed by the race rating which is achieved by the average peak season rating of the first four horses in the race.

ii. Weight conditions, preference to standard weight-for-age followed by set weights; set weights & penalties; quality handicap; or handicap);

iii. Conditions, eg. sex, age; distance etc

iv. The individual number of Black Type performances prior or subsequent to the race;

v. Minimum prizemoney levels for Group & Listed races:-

• Group 1: $350,000
• Group 2: $175,000
• Group 3: $115,000
• Listed (Group 4): $ 80,000

vi. Whether the race enhances the overall pattern

7. The APC recognises that there is some difficulty in certain States for horses to accumulate Black Type performances in certain distance and age categories, and this is taken into consideration when assessing races.

8. Decisions made at APC meetings as a result of a vote are based on a simple and clear majority. If all 11 voting members are present a vote of at least 6 to 5 is required. If only 10 members are present a vote of at least 6 to 4 is required for a motion to be carried. When voting, a member’s first responsibility is to the Pattern and not to their employer or to the party that appointed them to the APC. Only the numbers of votes ‘for’ and ‘against’ are to be recorded and not the way in which individual members voted.

Changes to Conditions

Any change to the condition of a Black Type race must be presented to the APC for consideration. A change of condition to a Group or Listed race without prior approval being granted by the APC may see the removal of its Black Type status.

Changes of conditions to be considered by the Committee include:

• Distance
• Age/Sex conditions
• Weight conditions
• Venue
• Date
• Prizemoney

As the APC only meets twice yearly, at the discretion of the Chairman, an application to change the conditions of a Black Type race may be considered via flying minute or teleconference, should a formal meeting not enable the consideration of this issue within a reasonable timeframe. Each Principal Racing Authority is encouraged to ensure all requests of a major nature are considered at a formal meeting of the APC.

A template has been developed which is to be submitted by the relevant Principal Racing Authority for every race requiring changes in conditions. All applications for amendments to conditions must be submitted on the standard application form and once submitted the following process will be undertaken:

1. An application is submittted to the Secretary by the PRA.

2. The APC is to consider the application and makes a decision.

3. If no unanimous agreement from the APC, then the matter is referred to the ARB for decision.

Restricted Listed Status

In February 2007, the ARB officially endorsed the APC as the appropriate agency for determining the use of Restricted Listed (RL) categorisation, which is to be strictly limited in its usage.

Restricted Listed races are races restricted solely to horses sold through a specific sale or bred in a particular area, with these restrictive conditions not providing open entry into these events.

Race Ratings

The ANZCC is a technical committee under the auspice of the ARB made up by the Head of Handicapping in each Australian State and the Senior Handicapper of New Zealand. This committee is responsible for evaluating the individual performances of runners in all Australasian Black Type events and providing representation on the World Thoroughbred Rankings Committee (WTRC).

It is important to note that the race ratings produced by the ANZCC are a by product of their core function and are provided to the APC to assist in evaluating the quality of each Australian Black Type event. When reviewing a race for possible downgrade the ratings of the four highest rated horses in any race as well as the first four to finish may be considered.

The annual race rating is the average of the official ratings, as agreed by the ANZCC of the first four placed horses. The official rating is the peak performance of each horse in the racing season in which the race was run. The rating is a numeric value given to a specific individual performance and is not necessarily a reflection of that horse’s current handicap level, which would take into account any subsequent improvement or deterioration in form.

The rating is determined by a combination of weight carried and margins from the horse deemed to run at the median, or general level of consistency, in that particular event.

Such characteristics are then related to specific race distances. For a sprint race (1300m and less) a ratio of 1.5kg per length would apply whilst for a middle distance event (up to 2200 metres) a ratio of 1.0kg per length. For a distance event (any race in excess of 2200 metres) a ratio of 0.5kg per length would apply. The ANZCC may also build in a small adjustment for what they consider is a dominant performance.

The authority or value of the winner and placegetters is individually and collectively evaluated. Whether the winner, placings or others were holding their ground or fading, or subjected to any particular “in race” circumstance, is thoroughly analysed prior to any rating being issued. In most situations even though there is no value for the narrowest of margins a one pound or half kilogram will be granted to the winner over a runner-up.

The pace within a race is an indication of the reliability of the performance. Inadequate pace frequently proves a result to be unreliable as a guide to a horse’s true merit. If races are slowly run, the opportunity arises for moderate horses to finish closer than their overall performance might indicate is likely. In contests where a doubtful tempo contributes to the closeness of the finish or to a horse returning what is generally regarded as a ‘one-off’ performance the differentials may be extended. In races run on slow or heavy ground margins can be exaggerated and in these instances the rating differentials will be brought closer together than they would if the same result had been produced on quick or fast ground.

Individual performances which generate a rating of 115 or higher are then submitted to the World Thoroughbred Rankings Committee (WTRC) for confirmation. The WTRC is a technical committee under the auspice of the IFHA. A rating of 115 is generally viewed as the minimum benchmark for a genuine Group 1 performance at international level.

Use of Ratings

1. For a race to be added to the List of Black Type races it should match or exceed the benchmark at its last 2 runnings. In addition, for a race to be added there must be an available position in the relevant age/sex/distance category.

2. The benchmarks will be increased progressively at the same percentage as the race ratings increase until they reach a level that is broadly in line with the international benchmarks.

3. The pattern of metropolitan racing and the target numbers in each of the age/sex categories will be reviewed every 5 years commencing 2010 and any necessary adjustments will be made by granting clubs 2 years warning.

Upgrade of Races

Applications for Listed Status

Individual States are to identify and develop races for potential Listed status and then the Principal Racing Authority will seek a race rating from the ANZCC and assess the merit of the application before deciding to forward it to APC Working Party for consideration.

Upgrade in the Listings

Once a race is included within the Listings all subsequent progressions through the Listings should be prompted and confirmed by the Pattern Committee. This does not diminish the incentive for States to develop races but delivers a more structured and disciplined approach to identifying and assessing races for possible upgrade.

Once the ANZCC have produced the end of season race ratings, an APC working party, consisting of a member from each PRA, meet to assess the top performing races in each category and any races identified for possible upgrade by the Pattern Committee. The working party may utilise but are not bound by ratings and can consider the overall pattern of races and gaps with the pattern.

After assessing the top performing races in each category, based on rating, field quality, programming and vacancies within the pattern, the working party put forward a list of the top performing races that may be considered by the APC for upgrade. For a race to be eligible for upgrade, the race should have exceeded the relevant benchmark at the three most recent runnings.

The list of races is put forward at the end of season APC meeting for consideration, accompanied with the black type performance report from the last 3 runnings, along with the entire race ratings file.

Caution and Downgrade list

The caution and downgrade list is produced at the end of each season, once the ANZCC ratings with races failing to reach the benchmark broken down into the following levels.

Caution List – Level 1

Races that fail to reach the benchmark at their latest running are added to level one of the caution list.

Caution List – Level 2

Races that have failed to reach the benchmark at the last two runnings are added to level two of the caution list.

Exclusion List

Races that fail to reach the benchmark in three consecutive runnings will be automatically downgraded.

Races are removed from the caution and downgrade lists if they meet the benchmark at their latest running. Races may also be removed from the caution and downgrade lists, if the APC deem that there are extenuating circumstances surrounding the performance of the races latest running that resulted in the race failing to reach the benchmark. The APC working party are to provide an overview of any races that fall into the above category for consideration at the end of the season APC meeting.

The APC is to consider races included in level 1 & 2 of the Caution list at the end of the season meeting and make recommendations where necessary in relation to any potential improvements to the conditions or placement of these races. This information is to be provided to the relevant PRC for consideration and distribution to the relevant race club.

It is the responsibility of the relevant PRA to inform individual race clubs if any of their races appear on the caution and downgrade lists.

Registered Race Name

The process for registering race names is a function of the Australian Racing Board, who keep a registry catalogued with a group identification number. A copy of these protocols can be obtained through the Australian Racing Board.

Benchmarks

Benchmarks		2yo		3yo		F&M		Open
Group1		105 (101F)		110 (106F)		106		110
Group2		100 (96F)		105 (101F)		101		105
Group3		95 (91F)		100 (96F)		96		100
Listed		90 (86F)		95 (91F)		91		95

SMILE

S=Sprint		Up to and including 1300m
M=Mile		1301m to 1800m
I=Intermediate		1801m to 2199m
L=Long		2200m to 2700m
E=Extended		2701m and beyond

ARF Ground Rules