DOUBLE PROMOTION FOR THE QUEEN’S VASE AT ROYAL ASCOT

The Queen’s Vase, previously a Listed Race, has been promoted to Group Two, giving it a double promotion to the second tier of global racing.

Following a near two year investigative project across Europe into how to create an enhanced programme for stayers, it has been agreed by the racing authorities in Europe (including our own British Horseracing Authority - BHA) that a marker needs to be put down in the shape of a major long distance race for three-year-olds at the continent’s flagship race meeting.

This mirrors a similar programme instigated in 2015, which saw a new Group One race for threeyear- old sprinters created at Royal Ascot. The result of that innovation was an immediate increase in the profile and quality of sprinting in Europe.

The distance of the Queen’s Vase has actually been reduced to a mile-and-three-quarters from two miles to provide a viable alternative to, or opportunity after, the Derby at Epsom. This creates an opportunity for potentially top class horses needing a greater test than a mile-and-a-half but a slightly less extreme stamina test than was previously the case.

Following consultation carried out by the BHA, many horsemen and industry stakeholders indicated that they felt two miles in mid-June was too far for three-year-olds and that the new trip would provide a better graduation towards races like the Goodwood Cup (two miles) in early August, a race that itself has been promoted from Group Two to Group One.

It is hoped that the winners of the Gold Cup (older horses) and Queen’s Vase (three-year-olds) might meet more regularly in the Goodwood Cup in the same way as so often the winners of the (older horses) and St James’s Palace Stakes (three-year-olds) meet in the .

Nick Smith, Director of Racing & Communications for , said:

"Ascot was represented on the BHA’s Stayers’ Review Group are we are now very pleased to be playing our part in implementing the recommendations.

“At Group Two, and at the reduced trip, the Queen's Vase will hopefully become a true, quality race for developing stayers. It provides, amongst other things, a more coherent pathway to the newly promoted Group One Goodwood Cup, where the Gold Cup winner can now run penalty free.

“The sprinting programme was radically enhanced in 2015 and the BHA and the European Pattern Committee have once again shown vision and flexibility in addressing key issues, this time within the stayers’ division.”

Ruth Quinn, Director of International Racing & Racing Development for the BHA, added:

“It has been the view of the BHA for some time that we need to find ways to grow the strength- indepth of the stayers being bred, trained and raced in Britain. It is a subject about which many people feel passionately and we have been exploring the best way to tackle the issues involved. It is extremely promising that we are now in a position to press on and start putting in place steps to safeguard the future of these popular horses here in Britain and Europe.”

Prize money for the Queen’s Vase increases to £150,000 from £90,000. The Group Two King Edward VII Stakes, run over a mile-and-a-half for three-year-olds, also goes up this year from £200,000 to £225,000. This brings prize money at Royal Ascot up to a record £6,665,000 and follows an increase of £1,000,000 across the programme last year.

Royal Ascot’s 30 race programme consists of 19 Group Races (eight of which are Group Ones); four Listed races (effectively Group Four, one of which is a Listed Handicap), six handicaps and the much loved , a two-and-three-quarter mile Conditions race, which closes the programme.

The Group Three Tercentenary Stakes, named as such to mark 300 years of racing at Ascot in 2011, reverts now to its historical title; The Court Stakes.

For further information, please contact: Nick Smith, Director of Racing & Communications, Ascot Racecourse [email protected] / 07771 791449