The Winterbottom Stakes in Perth has been upgraded to Group One status following an Australian Pattern Committee meeting in Sydney on Friday.
The 1200m sprint has been elevated from Group Two at the expense of the West Australian Derby which has been downgraded from Group One to Group Two.
“It’s disappointing to lose the Group One status of a historical race like the WATC Derby but at the same time it had not been performing to the appropriate standard in recent years,” Western Australia’s representative on the Pattern Committee, David Hunter, said.
“This way we don’t lose a Group One, we still have three Group One races in Western Australia.”
While last year’s Winterbottom was won by local galloper Hadabeclorka, other recent winners of the weight-for-age event have included Takeover Target, Miss Andretti and Ortensia.
Hunter, manager of thoroughbred racing for Racing and Wagering WA, hopes the upgrading of the Winterbottom will see champion Black Caviar take her place in the race on November 19 at Ascot.
Black Caviar’s trainer Peter Moody revealed earlier this week that the Winterbottom could be the unbeaten sprinter’s fourth start of her spring campaign.
AAP TURF
