Thomass Posted February 8, 2019 Share Posted February 8, 2019 Terrible state of affairs... The European Pattern Committee even mentioned "regulation regarding out of competition testing" ahem...just how much is done here peeps? Could be some..maybe none! The RIU have zero transparency...HTF would anyone know? Capannelle Racecourse (Image: Carl Di Iorio) Italy loses last Group 1 Carl Di Iorio@CDi_Iorio 7 February, 2019 , ( Italian racing lurched into further crisis on Wednesday when the European Pattern Committee (EPC) stripped the country of its last remaining Group 1 race. The Lydia Tesio (2000m) for three-year-old fillies, held late in the European season in November, was downgraded to Group 2 level. Italy, which hosted as many as nine Group 1 races in 2006, also had their membership status in the EPC downgraded to an 'Associate Member' with immediate effect. "The Committee welcomed the attendance of representatives of the Italian Ministry for Agriculture and their commitment to address the difficulties which had shrouded Italian horse racing and thoroughbred breeding in recent years," said EPC Chairman Brian Kavanagh. The EPC have placed certain requirements on Italian racing, including those relating to the prompt payment of prizemoney, as well as requirements pertaining to the regulation of their sport including out-of-competition testing. The Lydia Tesio is held at Rome's Capannelle racecourse, which is currently the subject of an ongoing dispute between the track's operators (HippoGroup) and Rome's council (Roma Capitale) as the municipal body is seeking a retrospective yearly payment of €2.5 million. Consequently, the racecourse hasn't hosted a race meeting since the start of this year. Approximately 700 horses have continued to train at Capannelle in the interim, making it one of Italy's main facilities. It's been reported that should no agreement be reached between HippoGroup and Roma Capitale by the end of February that Capannelle racecourse, first opened in 1881, will close completely. Luca Cumani, who retired at the end of 2018, trained his final Group 1 winner when God Given won last year's Lydia Tesio. "It's a very sad, but I'm afraid inevitable, situation because Italian racing has been on a slippery slope for a number of years," Cumani told Racing Post. "There doesn't seem any chance of light at the end of the tunnel until the administration of Italian racing is changed and placed in the hands of racing people, as opposed to bureaucrats. "Things have been going the wrong way for a number of years and lurching from one disaster to another." WATCH: God Given win the 2018 Lydia Tesio French racing was the biggest winner from this week's EPC meeting. France Galop successfully pushed for the Prix de Royallieu, a race for three-year-old fillies, to gain Group 1 status, with the race at Longchamp increased from 2500 to 2800 metres. "The Committee was pleased to support France's request to provide an end-of-season opportunity at Group 1 level for fillies at longer distances as part of the Europe-wide initiative to improve the programme for staying horses," Kavanagh said. France Galop officials, however, would be concerned that July three-year-old middle-distance races, the Prix Eugene Adam (2000m) and Prix de Malleret (2400m), are both under threat of losing Group 1 status if their renewals don't rate sufficiently during 2019. While there were no British Stakes races downgraded for 2019 or any Group 1 races under threat during this year, authorities were left 'frustrated' by the British Champions Long Distance Cup (3200m) not receiving Group 1 status. The race, held at Ascot racecourse, is struggling to gain approval as French authorities are concerned about the impact of promotion to two of its existing staying Group 1 races, the €350,000 ($560,000) Prix Royal-Oak (3100m) and €300,000 ($480,000) Prix du Cadran (4000m), held at the same time of the season. The British Champions Long Distance Cup carries almost double the prizemoney of those two French features with a purse of £500,000 ($900,000), and Order Of St George and Stradivarius have won the race in the past two seasons. "The failure to secure Group 1 status for the British Champions Long Distance Cup remains an ongoing frustration, but we will work with France Galop to try to find a way through this in the near future," said Ruth Quinn, the British Horseracing Authority's director of international racing. Ascot's director of racing Nick Smith suggested to Racing Post that an overall review of the European staying program may be required. "Of course we want it to be Group 1 and we'll continue to apply for it, but Champions Day and Ascot have been huge beneficiaries of the Pattern and it would be inappropriate to take a hostile stance over one race, and there are perfectly sound grounds for their decision," Smith said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedley Posted February 8, 2019 Share Posted February 8, 2019 The same sort of management as here with bureaucrats lurching from one crisis to another. ..they are 'Globalists who manage using crisis as their skill..the name of their game is to inflict failure throughout the industry while stancing as if they are doing the best thing for the industry. Can you all see the train in the tunnell..yes it's headlights are getting stronger but our eyesight isn't focussing..prefering to be duped instead. Yep! we believe that you grow the industry by dowsizing it by a half of it's own self. Well done Kiwis..well done 4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nomates Posted February 8, 2019 Share Posted February 8, 2019 (edited) The only thing that our industry leaders have managed to accomplish is extending the length of the tunnel and forget seeing any light at the end of it , the train will be on top of us before long . Edited February 8, 2019 by nomates 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete Posted February 8, 2019 Share Posted February 8, 2019 Luca Cumani, who retired at the end of 2018, trained his final Group 1 winner when God Given won last year's Lydia Tesio. "It's a very sad, but I'm afraid inevitable, situation because Italian racing has been on a slippery slope for a number of years," Cumani told Racing Post. "There doesn't seem any chance of light at the end of the tunnel until the administration of Italian racing is changed and placed in the hands of racing people, as opposed to bureaucrats. "Things have been going the wrong way for a number of years and lurching from one disaster to another" Could have been speaking about New Zealand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nomates Posted February 8, 2019 Share Posted February 8, 2019 6 minutes ago, pete said: Luca Cumani, who retired at the end of 2018, trained his final Group 1 winner when God Given won last year's Lydia Tesio. "It's a very sad, but I'm afraid inevitable, situation because Italian racing has been on a slippery slope for a number of years," Cumani told Racing Post. "There doesn't seem any chance of light at the end of the tunnel until the administration of Italian racing is changed and placed in the hands of racing people, as opposed to bureaucrats. "Things have been going the wrong way for a number of years and lurching from one disaster to another" Could have been speaking about New Zealand. " In the hands of racing people " being the relevant quote there , what chance . 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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