No ‘bastardising’ race: Retaining Metrop’s structure overrides Group 1 status

By the Editorial Team · Monday, August 31, 2026

Sydney’s Metropolitan race has been downgraded from Group 1 to Group 2 status by the Asian Pattern Committee due to its handicap format, despite efforts by Racing NSW to preserve its traditional structure. The decision maintains the race’s historic appeal but may influence its future prestige as officials plan further reviews of other major Australian races.

Sydney’s historic spring feature race, The Metropolitan, will be contested as a Group 2 event this year after being downgraded from Group 1 status by the Asian Pattern Committee (APC). The announcement was made on Thursday, marking a significant change for the 158-year-old handicap but one that Racing NSW and the Australian Turf Club say does not alter the race’s fundamental appeal.

The APC concluded that The Metropolitan did not meet the criteria required to maintain its Group 1 classification, largely due to its status as a handicap race rather than a set weights or weight-for-age event. Despite being offered the opportunity to modify the race conditions—either by adjusting the weight format or increasing prize money—racing authorities opted to preserve the race's traditional structure after consulting with trainers and industry stakeholders.

Graeme Hinton, acting CEO of Racing NSW, emphasized that retaining the race’s format was paramount. “The race’s fundamental problem is it’s a handicap, but that’s what makes it great,” Hinton said. He noted that attempts to alter the race to salvage Group 1 status, such as converting it to set weights and penalties or raising the prize money to unprecedented levels, would not address scheduling conflicts with the Bart Cummings Stakes, a Melbourne Cup qualifier held on the same day. “We decided to retain the structure and conditions of the race. That’s more important than the Group 1 status,” Hinton added, confirming that prize money for The Metropolitan would remain unchanged.

The decision received support from prominent racing figures, including Ciaron Maher, a leading trainer who prepared the last year’s winner Royal Supremacy and is currently training one of the favourites, King Of The Sea. Maher affirmed that the downgrade would not affect their preparation or the race’s importance. “It’s still a very important race with a lot of history,” he said.

Henry Field, owner and breeder at Newgate Farm, expressed understanding of the committee’s rationale. While advocating for a ratings-based system to determine race classifications, Field acknowledged the importance of preserving historical races. “I think there is merit in the idea of giving each of the states on the mainland the opportunity to retain two historical-based Group 1 races,” he said, highlighting the balance between maintaining tradition and upholding quality standards.

Nominations for this year’s event close in two weeks, with the early market showing $6 equal favourite Aethelwulf, considered one of Australia’s most promising stayers. The APC is set to reconvene shortly to review other Australian black-type races held from January to July next year, leaving open the possibility of further reclassifications in the racing calendar.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.