The European Pattern Committee has made changes to the 2026 black type programme.
Races are in, races are out, but as the dust settles, it emerges there’ll be three fewer black type races in Europe this year.
The Group ranks are down two races and there’s one fewer Listed race in the book.
In short, 2026 will see 811 European Flat black type races, 409 of them at Group level and 402 at Listed level.
Perhaps the biggest takeaway from the European Pattern Committee (EPC) meeting in Rome this month, the results of which were announced this week, is, however, the fact that Italy may slowly be coming in from the cold.
Italy back in the fold?
“The EPC was pleased to remove the threat of sanctions from Italian racing in recognition of the significant progress made by MASAF [the Italian Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forests] in terms of the regularisation of their prize money payments and improvements to their administrative procedures in line with the standards expected,” read an EPC release.
Admittedly, the country hasn’t yet been reallocated any Group 1 races (the last of them were run more than half a decade ago), but words from EPC chair Jason Morris surely further suggest that things are heading on an upward trajectory.
“The EPC has warmly welcomed MASAF’s commitment to revitalise and relaunch the Italian racing and breeding industry,” Morris stated, acknowledging that it “includes ambitions for securing an upgrade of an existing race to Group 1 status in the future.”
The contest in question is the Group 2 Premio del Jockey Club, whose prize money has been doubled to €500,000 for the 2026 edition.
The race is usually run at Capanelle, but with the track, which sits in the outskirts of Rome, out of action until the backend of the year, it’ll be staged at Milan’s San Siro this year, along with both the Italian 1,000 and 2,000 Guineas, the Premio Regina Elena and Premio Parioli respectively.
Despite signs of improvement, however – changes also include the addition of black type to the spring’s Premio Emanuele Filiberto – Italy has suffered a series of setbacks.
The Premio Lydia Tesio, Premio Dormello and Premio Roma all move from Group 2 to Group 3 level, while the Premio Botticelli, Premio Repubbliche Marinare and Premio Vittorio Riva all lose Listed status.
That’s before we remember that five more Italian races are at risk of a downgrade, their status hanging on a positive performance in 2026.
Races created
Across the French border, several Group races have moved from their normal slots and two of its races have received positive updates.
That includes the creation of the Prix Esotérique, a new Listed event for four-year-old and older fillies and mares over 1600m at Longchamp in mid-May.
It also includes the upgrading of the Prix Paul de Moussac to Group 2 level. The EPC said the race had “consistently” exceeded “the necessary ratings requirement and is intended to offer the main steppingstone to the Group 1 Prix Jean Prat over the same distance approximately one month later.”
In Ireland, ground has been broken in the construction of an all-weather track at Tipperary, meaning its races – black type contests included – have been temporarily dispersed to other courses.
Cork is one course to benefit, and that venue has also been allocated a new fillies’ Listed race over 7f, the Firville Stakes, which is scheduled for mid-August.
Denmark loses its Group race
Norway’s sole Group race looks safe, but Denmark is now without a Group prize, the Scandinavian Open Championship having been downgraded from Group 3 to Listed level.
Neighbouring Sweden keeps hold its two Group 3 contests, but the Listed Spring Mile and Listed Lelles Open Mile have both been voluntarily deleted from the programme, the same fate suffered by France’s Group 3 Prix Pénélope and Listed Prix Scaramouche.
Another two Swedish Listed races are at risk of a downgrade, though that comes with the caveat that the Jägersro Sprint, staged at the southern Swedish course that gives the race its name, will now carry black type.
German gains
Germany, about whom there’s often talk of downgrades, has experienced what might appear a slight reversal in fortunes.
The spring’s Bavarian Classic at Munich goes from Group 3 to Group 2 level, the EPC noting it has had “a strong record of producing Deutsches Derby contenders in recent years and will strengthen the German middle-distance Pattern race pathway at this time of the year.”
A 2050m Listed German Derby trial will also be introduced at Dortmund.
That said, Germany will still hold five races at risk of downgrade this year, more than France (which has four races at risk of downgrade), and Britain and Ireland (three each).
The races at risk weren’t named but, if their organisers know who they are, they might already find their palms sweating, a positive 2026 performance essential in keeping hold of much-coveted black type, often employed as a crucial marketing tool by the region’s plentiful smaller courses.
There might be 800-odd Pattern races to go round, but with large courses bagging many of them, Pattern recognition remains a prized commodity in many far-flung corners of the continent.
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