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A trio of three-year-old races have been upgraded by the New Zealand Pattern Committee.

The Little Avondale Lowland Stakes (2100m) at Hastings has been upgraded from Group 3 to Group 2 and the Partners Life Soliloquy Stakes (1400m) at Ellerslie has been promoted from Listed to Group 3. Both races are for 3YO fillies.

The Shaw’s Wires Ropes Uncle Remus Stakes (1400m), a three-year-old race run at Ellerslie on Boxing Day, has been upgraded to Listed status.

No other changes were made to the black type schedule.

The Lowland Stakes has become an outstanding guide to the New Zealand Oaks.

The last two Lowland winners – Savvy Coup and Bonneval – went on to win the Oaks and Sofia Rosa, the 2016 winner, was first past the post in the Oaks, before being relegated to second.

Bonneval and Sofia Rosa also won the G1 Australian Oaks in Sydney.

The first three placegetters in this year’s Lowland Stakes finished in the top four in the NZ Oaks and the first four placegetters in 2017 filled the first four placings in the Oaks.

The Soliloquy Stakes, won last season by Dijon Bleu, was transferred to a late-October date three years ago and has since consistently rated above the benchmark required for a Group 3 fillies race.

The Uncle Remus Stakes has produced exceptional ratings in the past three years when won by top class 3YOs Xtravagant, Hall Of Fame and Age of Fire.