NATIONAL GRADING SYSTEM AMENDMENTS

Following a recent review by Bord na gCon of the National Grading System Rules and Tables, which came about due to a noticeable lack of clarity among industry stakeholders on the back grading of greyhounds below S3/A3 Grades, the following amendments are to be made to the National Grading System Rules with changes to be implemented in early August.

The following benefits will be observed from their implementation:-

An immediate clarity and transparency on where a back grade is due, as greyhounds will now have to complete three unsuccessful sprints in succession, for a back grade to be achieved. The same will apply for middle distance races.

Back grades and current grades are more closely linked to current rather than historical lines of form. Back grading is more indicative of current form.

A more organised sequential approach to back grading, which can be more easily captured and reflected in the Race Management System.

Back Grading– Sprint and Middle Distances

A greyhound will only be back graded on completion of three consecutive unsuccessful races in a row over Sprint or Middle Distances. The greyhound will be lowered one grade from its current Grade on completion of this three race cycle.

A greyhound competing in Sprint and Middle Distance races will break the three race cycle for back grading purposes if the greyhound races over a different category of Distance (Sprint or Middle Distances only) i.e. if a greyhound runs two consecutive unsuccessful races over 525 and the greyhound then runs a Sprint this will nullify the three race cycle for back grading purposes over Middle Distances. The same rule applies to the Sprint (S) category.

A Greyhound competing in the Hurdle category or in the Long Distance category will not nullify the three race cycle for back grading purposes over Sprint or Middle Distances

Back Grading – For Grades S3/A3 and for Grades better than S3/A3

1) Greyhounds of Grade S3/A3 to Grade S9/A9 - Greyhounds will be back graded over both the ‘S’ and ‘A’ Grade when they have run three consecutive unsuccessful races in a row over the same category of Distance i.e. when they have run three consecutive unsuccessful races in a row over Sprint Distances or when they have run three consecutive unsuccessful races in a row over Middle Distances, e.g. a greyhound which is S3/A3 will be back graded to S4/A4 if it runs three consecutive unsuccessful races in a row over Sprint Distances or if it runs three consecutive unsuccessful races in a row over Middle Distances. A greyhound running a trial within this sequence of races is still eligible for back grading

2) Greyhounds of Grade S2 to SO and Greyhounds of Grade A2 to AO-  A greyhound will only be back graded over a category of Distance (i.e. either ‘S’ or ‘A’) when it has run three consecutive unsuccessful races in a row over that category of Distance i.e. a greyhound will only be back graded over Sprint Distances when the greyhound has run three consecutive unsuccessful races in a row over Sprint Distances and the greyhound will only be back graded over Middle Distances when the greyhound has run three consecutive unsuccessful races in a row over Middle Distance, e.g. a greyhound which is S1/A1 will be back graded to S2/A1 if it runs three consecutive unsuccessful races in a row over Sprint Distances and will be back graded to S1/A2 if it runs three consecutive unsuccessful races in a row over Middle Distances.  A greyhound running a trial within this sequence of races is still eligible for back grading.


3) Greyhounds of Grade SSO and Greyhounds of Grade AAO- Greyhounds will only be back graded over a category of Distance (‘S’ or ‘A’) under the following conditions:
(1) It must have ran three consecutive unsuccessful races in a row over the same category of Distance and will only be back graded over that category of Distance (i.e. Sprint or Middle Distance)
(2) It must not have recorded SS0 or AAO time in any of the three consecutive unsuccessful races

(3) Recording an SSO or AAO time in a trial between races will reset the three race cycle over both categories of Distance (‘S’ or ‘A’)

The National Grading System Rules and Tables currently on the IGB website will be updated to reflect the above changes when the rule changes are implemented.