With the government announcing on Monday that professional sport would not be staged in England until June 1 at the earliest, the Flat Pattern Committee has adjusted the schedule for stakes races in 2020.
In the original plans, several stakes races were due to be staged this month before the running of the QIPCO 2,000 and 1,000 Guineas in the first weekend of June – this remains the Flat Pattern Committee’s intention at this stage.
Royal Ascot is set to remain in its original slot of June 16-20 but there will be changes to the order of races, which will be communicated at a later date. This year’s Coral-Eclipse has been pushed back to July 5 and will only be open to four-year-olds and older horses.
A statement from the Flat Pattern Committee said: “The exact timetable for the resumption of racing will remain subject to agreement from government and an assessment by public health officials of the risks posed by the virus at that time. Any changes to the timetable are likely to have an impact on the programme for Pattern and Listed races.
“A provisional race programme for the first seven days of non-Pattern races was released on May 7, and we expect to publish further detail on this period, as well as a provisional race programme for the second seven-day period, later this week.
“The aim remains to provide, as soon as possible, at least one Pattern or Listed opportunity covering the key distances for the different sections of the population for three-year-olds and up, with a suitable number of novice/conditions races for two-year-olds scheduled to ensure horses can have a chance to run prior to Royal Ascot. Pattern and Listed races will now also be open to international runners.
“We must emphasise that this provisional plan may still need to be adjusted according to when and under what circumstances racing is safely able to recommence.”
Races to be run between June 3-4
Classic Trial (10f 3yo Group 3)
Snowdrop (8f 3+ f Listed)
Pavilion (6f 3yo Group 3)
Races to be run on June 5
Abernant (6f 3+ Group 3)
Brigadier Gerard (10f 4+ Group 3)
Paradise (8f 3+ Listed)
Lingfield Oaks Trial (11½f 3yo f Listed)
Lingfield Derby Trial (11½f 3yo cg Listed)
Coronation Cup (12f 4+ Group 1)
Races to be run on June 6
2,000 Guineas (8f 3yo cf Group 1)
*Dahlia (10f 4+ f Group 2)
Palace House (5f 3+ Group 3)
Sagaro (16f 4+ Group 3)
Newmarket (10f 3yo cg Listed)
(*Note: Distance change of the Dahlia to 10f)
Races to be run on June 7
1,000 Guineas (8f 3yo f Group 1)
Pretty Polly (10f 3yo f Listed)
Buckhounds (12f 4+ Listed)
Cecil Frail (6f 3+ f Listed)
Spring Trophy (7f 3+ Group 3)
Pinnacle (12f 4+ f Group 3)
