THE Vintage Crop Stakes at Navan in April and the Saval Beg Stakes at Leopardstown in May have effectively traded status in order to create a better sequence for Irish staying races in the first part of the season.

This year the Vintage Crop will go from Group 3 level back to listed status, while the Savel Beg will go the other direction and is now a Group 3 event.

In other changes announced this week by the European Pattern Committee [EPC], the Listed Silken Glider Stakes, an eight-furlong race for two-year-old fillies at the Curragh in October, has been upgraded to Group 3.

The 10-furlong Group 3 Diamond Stakes at Dundalk in September has been downgraded to listed status. The Curragh will stage a new listed race for fillies aged three and upwards over six furlongs in October.

Three Irish races are in danger of being downgraded if they fail to achieve the required rating this season. They are the Group 2 Golden Fleece Stakes at Leopardstown, the Group 2 Kilboy Estate Stakes at the Curragh, and the Group 3 Concorde Stakes at Tipperary.

Last month’s EPC meeting was the last to be chaired by Brian Kavanagh. The member countries unanimously agreed that Jason Morris, director of racing at Horse Racing Ireland, will take over as chair of the EPC for a term of five years.