Hong Kong Promoted to Part I Status
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Photo: Hong Kong Jockey Club
Sha Tin regularly attracts large crowds for its racing programs
Hong Kong has been promoted, effective Sept. 1, to Part I status of the International Cataloguing Standards book by the International Grading and Race Planning Advisory Committee.
This promotion means 17 group stakes and three additional listed stakes will now be open to international competition and have their black-type status recognized in Thoroughbred auction catalogs worldwide.
Previously, Hong Kong was considered a Part II country with only selected races granted international group I status—11 group I and three group II.
Hong Kong opening up races to international competition
Hong Kong stakes to be recognized internationally are: Centenary Sprint Cup (gr. II); Oriental Watch Sha Tin Trophy (gr. II), Premier Bowl (gr. II), Chairman's Trophy (gr. II), Sprint Cup (gr. II), National Day Cup (gr. III), Celebration Cup (gr. III), Sa Sa Ladies' Purse (gr. III), Bauhinia Sprint Trophy (gr. III), Chinese Club Challenge Cup (gr. III), January Cup (gr. III), Centenary Vase (gr. III), Queen Mother Memorial Cup (gr. III), Sha Tin Vase (gr. III), Lion Rock Trophy (gr. III), Premier Cup (gr. III), and the Premier Plate (gr. III).
The following Hong Kong listed stakes also will be recognized internationally: Hong Kong Classic Mile, Hong Kong Classic Cup, and BMW Hong Kong Derby.
IRPAC also approved the promotion of Korea to Part II of the International Cataloguing Standards book effective July 1, upon ratification by Society of International Thoroughbred Auctioneers (SITA). Six Korean races were approved for Part II. Only five of the races are scheduled to run after July 1, 2016, therefore the 2016 ICS publication will only include five of the six races.
The adoption of group ratings began in Europe in 1971 and was later adopted as graded races in the United States and Canada in 1973. Uniformity in how the world's most important races were designated in auction catalogs began in 1981 with creation of the International Cataloguing Standards Committee. Standardized black-type designations began with races run as of Jan. 1, 1985. Under the international guidelines, the winners or placers in grade/group stakes for Part I countries or designated races are shown in bold type on catalog pages with the grade/group designation. For Part II countries, the winners and placers get the bold type but the grade/group status is not recognized.