Diamond Geezer
Gone But Not Forgotten
- Joined
- May 2, 2003
- Messages
- 13,884
They are two of the most famous events in the horse racing calendar, but the 1000 and 2000 Guineas are set to be renamed and you can probably guess who is insisting on the change. Yes, even though the UK never adopted the Euro as its official currency, and have also triggered Article 50 (Brexit), EU lawmakers want the races to be re-named the £1050 Stakes and £2100 Stakes. German MEP Prof Lois Yadal cited EU economic policy guidelines, which dictate that if a currency is no longer in circulation then the economic and monetary affairs council can invoke laws to re-standardise the currency officially in use in a member country to prevent confusion among its citizens. Concerned that the 200-year heritage of the events are at risk, sponsor QIPCO is encouraging the public to save the names of the classics by signing a petition to be presented to the president of the European Council, Donald Tusk, in Brussels ahead of the Newmarket race meeting in May. Newmarket racecourse managing director Amy Starkey said “The irony is if we have an Irish or maybe French winner of the 1000 Guineas and/or 2000 Guineas, we will pay the £500,000 prize money in Euros for the successful connections in any case, and presumably the racing authorities there will need to change their race titles to include Euros, rather than guineas. This is bureaucracy gone mad.”
