The Melbourne Cup has given me an epiphany - surely it's time for Group 1 handicaps in Europe

This time last week we were all looking forward to the Melbourne Cup, Australia’s biggest race and one with which racing fans across the world are familiar. But what is less familiar is its format: a Group 1 handicap.

It’s the sort of thing that is hard to imagine ever happening in Europe, given so many countries already have their premier races set in stone, but I really wish someone would be radical and look to install these as part of the European Pattern. They are a brilliant concept.

I can already hear some of the objections. The primary objective of a Group 1 is to identify the best horses through competing at level weights, after all, and I’m certainly not looking to rip up the Classics, the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe or other championship races that are clearly working. But the Group 1 programme isn’t working as a whole, especially over a mile and beyond.