For those of you who read this blog, you would be aware that I am not a great fan of the current graded stakes system as a framework for selection for genetic merit. There are a couple of reasons for this, but the main reason is the variability of form in stakes races around the world on a year by year basis make selecting for merit based on this framework, especially in lower class stakes races, next to worthless. I believe I am not alone in this assessment. Back in 2011, as