Golden Eagle gets instant Group 1 status as APC upgrades host of Australian contests

November’s Golden Eagle (1500m) will be run as a Group 1 for the first time after being given a direct upgrade from a non-stakes race to one at the very highest level following a review by the Asian Racing Federation’s (ARF) Asian Pattern Committee (APC).

In a statement by the ARF on Friday, it was revealed that a total of 30 races had been given an upgrade or moved to stakes status, including 22 of them from the NSW region, while the Golden Eagle’s move to a Group 1 means that there will be 77 races at the elite level in Australia during the 2026-27 season.

Races that have been given brand new stakes status include The Invitation (1400m), 7 Stakes (1600m) and Russell Balding Stakes (1300m), which were made Group 2 races, the Five Diamonds (1800m) and The Gong (1600m), which will be Group 3s, and the Golden Gift (1100m), Big Dance (1600m), The Hunter (1300m), The Beauford (2300m) and Silver Eagle (1300m) will all be run at Listed level for the first time.

The Shorts (1200m), which will remain as a Group 2, San Domenico Stakes (1100m) (Group 3) and Toy Show Quality (1100m) (Group 3) were all considered for an upgrade but will remain at their current level.

Meanwhile, in Victoria, the Poseidon Stakes (1100m), Cap D’Antibes Stakes (1100m), Spring Preview (1000m) and Chautauqua Stakes (1200m) were all upgraded from Listed to Group 3 level.

Without a doubt however, the biggest upgrade from the review is the Golden Eagle. With the race first run in 2019, it has had a meteoric rise from being a non-pattern race as recent as November.

Having been won by Kolding (Ocean Park) (2019), Colette (Hallowed Crown) (2020), I’m Thunderstruck (Shocking) (2021), I Wish I Win (Savabeel) (2022), Japanese raider Obamburumai (Discreet Cat) (2023), British raider Lake Forest (No Nay Never) (2024), and star mare Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun) in 2025, the race has seen its reputation grow significantly in the last few years.

“In December 2025, the Asian Racing Federation (ARF) determined that, given the circumstances that existed, the Asian Pattern Committee (APC) would, for the time being, make decisions for all black type races in Australia. This meant that the APC became responsible for making upgrade and downgrade decisions for all Group 1, Group 2, Group 3 and Listed races in Australia,” Friday’s ARF statement read.

“Since then, in order to assist in prompt restoration of effective quality control in Australia, the ARF implemented a special decision-making process for black type races in Australia so that any changes are determined prior to the start of the 2026/27 Australian racing season.

“The APC considered an application from Racing Australia, with supporting materials, for the proposed upgrade of existing black type races and the addition of non-black type races to the pattern for season 2026/27.

“Further, Racing Australia made submissions regarding races which were provisionally subject to a warning or downgrade under the APC Ground Rules.

“Between 24-26 June 2026, the ARF Handicappers’ Committee held a special conference to determine the end of season 2025/26 ratings for horses rated above 112 in the ARF jurisdictions (including Australia), as well as the ratings for the first four placed horses in all G1 races run in the ARF Pattern. These ratings were considered by the APC in the relevant decision-making process.

“On 2 July 2026, the APC held a special meeting to consider Racing Australia’s application and to provisionally determine the upgrade and downgrade decisions for all black-type races (which took place between August and December 2025) in Australia.  

“A key purpose of this special meeting was to enable the ARF to assist the Australian industry to be fully informed of any changes ahead of the next running of these races, while other races in Racing Australia’s application are to be further considered by the APC at its next meeting in September 2026.”

The Metropolitan (2400m), Victoria Derby (2500m) and Railway Stakes (1600m) were all on notice of potentially losing their Group 1 status prior to the APC’s meeting, but have retained it for 2026-27, with the Derby decision likely coming as music to plenty of industry figures’ ears.

“I’d be surprised if the APC thought it was a good idea to downgrade a VRC Derby,” a source told ANZ News earlier this week. “It’s a race of historical significance, you would think, and the APC’s charter makes allowances for historical significance and all of those things.”

A seven-member Black Type Advisory Group made up of Inglis’ Sebastian Hutch, Magic Millions’ Barry Bowditch, Widden Stud principal Antony Thompson, Godolphin Australia boss Andy Makiv, Arrowfield Stud’s Jon Freyer, and respected racing and breeding industry figures Duncan Grimley and Adrian Hancock, had made recommendations to the APC to review the nation’s black-type contests.

Racing Australia was advised of, and agreed to, the APC’s pattern changes last week.

“Racing Australia was informed of the APC’s provisional decisions, and was invited to make comments on specific decisions before these were finalised and submitted to the ARF Executive Council for ratification. On 9 July 2026, Racing Australia informed the APC that it had accepted all provisional decisions made by the APC,” the statement continued.

“Following Racing Australia’s confirmation of acceptance, the APC finalised and submitted its recommendations to the ARF Executive Council, which have now been considered and approved by the ARF Executive Council.

“These decisions have also been reported by the ARF to the International Grading and Race Planning Advisory Committee (IRPAC) of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities, which is responsible for subsequently reporting any significant decisions to the Society of International Thoroughbred Auctioneers (SITA), prior to publication in the International Cataloguing Standards (ICS) Book 2027.  

“The ARF would like to reiterate that the APC making all decisions on Black Type races in Australia is intended only as a temporary measure. The ARF has been clear on the requirement that Racing Australia establish a functioning system operating in accordance with the APC Ground Rules, and will provide a further update when it is considered appropriate for the above arrangements to end (or any other necessary actions to be taken by the ARF if such a system is not established).”

A list of the full set of the APC’s final decisions can be found here.