Group races, also known as Pattern races, or Graded races in some jurisdictions, are the highest level of races in Thoroughbred horse racing. They include most of the world's iconic races, such as the Derby, Irish Derby and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in Europe, the Melbourne Cup in Australia, and the Kentucky Derby and Breeders' Cup races in the United States. Victory in these races marks a horse as being particularly talented, if not exceptional, and they are extremely important in determining stud values. They are also sometimes referred to as Black type races, since any horse that has won one of these races is printed in bold type in sales catalogues.
The Sovereign Stakes was a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to colts and geldings aged three years or older. It was run at Salisbury over a distance of 1 mile, and was scheduled to take place each year in August.
The Legacy Cup is a flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Newbury over a distance of 1 mile and 3 furlongs, and it is scheduled to take place each year in September.
The Zetland Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old horses. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlongs, and it is scheduled to take place each year in October.
The March Stakes was a flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years. It was run at Goodwood over a distance of 1 mile and 6 furlongs (2,816 metres), and was scheduled to take place each year in late August.
The Gladness Stakes is a Listed flat horse race in Ireland open to horses aged three years or older. It is run over a distance of 7 furlongs (1,408 metres) at the Curragh in April.
The Princess Royal Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to fillies and mares aged three years or older. It is run over a distance of 1 mile and 4 furlongs (2,414 metres) on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket in September.
The Pertemps Network Final is a Premier Handicap National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run on the New Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 3 miles, and during its running there are twelve hurdles to be jumped. It is a handicap race, and it is scheduled to take place each year during the Cheltenham Festival in March.
The Sandringham Handicap is a flat handicap horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old fillies. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile, and it is scheduled to take place each year in June on the fourth day of the Royal Ascot meeting. The race was called the Fern Hill Rated Stakes until 2001, and was part of the Ascot Heath meeting held on the Saturday after Royal Ascot. Prior to 2018 it was run as a Listed handicap but was downgraded by the British Horseracing Authority to comply with a new rule that no handicap race could carry Listed or Group race status.
The City of York Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at York over a distance of 7 furlongs, and it is scheduled to take place each year in August. It is currently held on the final day of York's four-day Ebor Festival meeting. The race was upgraded to Group 3 level from the 2016 running, having previously been a run as a Listed race. It was upgraded to Group 2 level from the 2019 running.
The Scarbrough Stakes was a Listed flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged two years or older. It was run at Doncaster Racecourse over a distance of 5 furlongs and 3 yards, and was scheduled to take place each year in September. It was removed from the pattern race programme by the British Horseracing Authority in 2024.
The Tandridge Stakes is a Listed flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged four years or older. It is run over a distance of 1 mile and 1 yard at Lingfield Park in February. Prior to 2023 the race was named the Winter Derby Trial and run over 1 mile and 2 furlongs. First run in 1999, it was run as an ungraded conditions race prior to 2007. The race was reduced in distance to 1 mile and renamed the Tandridge Stakes from the 2023 running.
The Agnes Keyser Fillies' Stakes is a Listed flat horse race in Great Britain open to fillies aged three years. It is run at Goodwood over a distance of 1 mile 1 furlong and 197 yards, and it is scheduled to take place each year in June.
The Aston Park Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Newbury over a distance of 1 mile and 4 furlongs. Up until 2014 it was run over a distance of 1 mile 5 furlongs and 61 yards, and it is scheduled to take place each year in May. The race was upgraded to Group 3 level from the 2016 running, having previously been a run as a Listed race. Since the 2016 running the race has been sponsored by Al Rayyan and run as the Al Rayyan Stakes.
The Hambleton Stakes is a handicap flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at York over a distance of 7 furlongs and 192 yards, and it is scheduled to take place each year in May. Prior to 2018 it was run as a Listed handicap, but was downgraded by the British Horseracing Authority to comply with a new rule that no handicap race could carry Listed or Group race status.
The Midsummer Stakes was a Listed flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It was run at Windsor over a distance of 1 mile and 31 yards, and took place each year in June.
The Robin Hood Stakes is a Listed flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Nottingham over a distance of 1 mile and 75 yards, and is scheduled to take place each year in late October or early November. Prior to 2022 it was run on the Rowley Mile course at Newmarket over 1 mile. The first two scheduled runnings at Nottingham in 2022 and 2023 were abandoned due to a waterlogged course.
The Beckford Stakes is a Listed flat horse race in Great Britain open to fillies and mares aged three years or older. It is run at Bath over a distance of 1 mile and 6 furlongs (2,820 m), and it is scheduled to take place each year in October.
