In spite of, or perhaps because of, the very difficult financial situation in Italian racing, an extremely important and long-awaited decision was recently adopted by the Italian Pattern Races Committee. Ten out of the 29 pattern races included in the Italian racing calendar for 2013 feature a 13,91% increase in prize money in comparison with 2012.

This means an extra EUR 532,000 is to be splashed on the most important races.

To begin with, the prize money for the Italian Derby is to rise from EUR 550,000 to EUR 770,000 (+ 40%), which makes it Europe's richest Group 2 race.

The Italian Oaks is also a Group 2 race, and its 2013 prize money rises from EUR 330,000 to EUR 407,000 (+23,3%).

The Premio Parioli and Premio Regina Elena (the Italian Two Thousand Guineas and One Thousand Guineas) are both Group 3, and their prize money also shows a 20% rise to EUR 133,000.

With prize money of EUR 244,00, the Premio Lydia Tesio, Group 1, retains its feature race status for fillies in the 2013 calendar. Another Group 1 race, the Gran Criterium (prize money EUR 264,000) will undergo major re-styling. The distance of 1,500 m over a more 'tactical speed' course, is aimed at returning the race to its pre-1974 status.

All variations concerning distance and date (but NOT prize money) of the pattern races in the 2013 Italian Racing Calendar, are subject to approval by the European Pattern Races Committee, which meets on  January 10^th -11^th.

A total of 146 stakes races, including Group, Listed and Handicap (Principal & Conditions) races, will be run in Italy in 2013. The first of these, the Premio Carlo Chiesa, G3, is to be run on April 14th; and the final one, the Premio Aloisi (G3), is scheduled for November 10th.

The Premio Primi Passi (G3) is traditionally the first pattern race for 2-y-os.

It is also worth noting that there is an unprecedented debate going on in the press and media in Italy about staging as many pattern races as possible on the same race day. This would involve a complete re-styling of the whole calendar. A number of races would not only be moved to a different date, but their distance, too, might be reduced or increased. As a result, there would be some race days of European importance to draw attention to Italian horseracing. This change is being advocated by quite a few of the most respected horseracing experts and personalities in Italy.

Finally, a brief note on the sale of Italian 2-year-olds abroad. This has traditionally been a profitable business for our owners and breeders (though, of course, the export of our best-performing 2-y-os means a corresponding scarcity of prospects for the Derby and other pattern races for 3-y-os, and a scarcity of Italian born&bred winners with an international career, in general. This was the case of the winner of the 2011 Italian Derby, a race whose Group 2 international status still largely depends on Danedream's third place in that year. Still more dependent on Danedream's international rating is the Group 3 status of the Italian Oaks, a race that the German filly won.

The list of our best-performing 2-y-os in 2012 contained five names with an ItaliaForm rating of 109 - 108,5.

By December 2012, only the top-rated and fifth-rated horses were still in Italian colours, the other three having been sold abroad. However, I consider that this does at least demonstrate that Italian breeding and Italian racing are still alive.

(contributed by Giancarlo Fochesato)