Today, Friday 17 January, the entries for the Premio Ponte Vecchio (gr. 3 – 2,020/2,040 metres for 5 years old and over and 4 years old and older), a traditional race on the Florentine calendar, closes.
This is the race that inaugurates the new course as far as group three grand prix are concerned, which are transformed into seasonal circuits, respectively for three/four year olds and seniors, which envisage some selection trials and a possible final with increased endowment in which the best of the previous trials will participate with priority on the basis of a special classification. Hence the decrease in the endowment allocated to individual races. In addition to the Florentine race, the winter session for seniors includes the Premio Locatelli (Milan, 1 February), the Premio Giorgio Jegher (Trieste, 23 March) and the Premio Ettore e Mario Barbetta (final – Milan, 25 April).
The regulation, which will be fully issued in the next few days together with the Programming Circular, provides verbatim.
4.2. The first circuit reserved for horses aged 5 years and over includes the following Grand Prix:
Ponte Vecchio scheduled on 26 January 2025 in Florence;
Locatelli scheduled on 1st February 2025 in Milan;
Giorgio Jegher scheduled for 23 March 2025 in Trieste;
Ettore and Mario Barbetta scheduled on April 25, 2025 in Milan (Final)
– horses with performances considered to be inadequate and/or placed in a category lower than C will not be admitted to the race;
– the maximum number of starters per ribbon for the racecourse of Florence is 8 (four per row) starting with traditional ribbons,
– horses with the best numbers and stable ratio starting on the same ribbon will be excluded from the race;
– the registration of the horses’ ownership and allocation to the trainer cannot vary from the date of the horse’s reporting;
– horses that have won a Group I race in the previous twelve months, by way of exception to Article 26.6 of the current Scheduling Circular, will be placed and consequently appraised on the second ribbon or higher, according to the appraisal of the race;
4.3. At the Final, Gran Premio Ettore e Mario Barbetta, the best horses of the ranking drawn up according to the results of the first three races will have priority access to the following points: 1st classified 12 points; 2nd classified 8 points; 3rd classified 5 points; 4th classified 3 points; 5th classified 1 point. Additional horses may be entered in the race.
