There have been quite a few people across all the forums asking how to amend the showcases files, so for those that are planning to change the data in the showcases files here is a brief guide to all the data that can be held in this file:

Each race has five lines of data in this file...

First line of data

Examples:

6,L,4UP
8,100,3
7,G3,3,CG
18.75,110,4UP
12,G3 COND:notwongroup=1,4UP,FM

The first number is the race distance in furlongs. Usually this would be up to a maximum of 20 (2m4f) in the flat game, or 36 (4m4f) in the jumps game. It is also possible to add part-furlongs (in quarters) as well, so for example you can create race distances like 6f55y, 6f110y or 6f165y by making the number in the file 6.25, 6.5 or 6.75.

The second piece of information is the race type. The following race types are available:

G1 - Group 1
G2 - Group 2
G3 - Group 3
L - Listed Race
COND - Conditions Race (see below)
M - Maiden
G1H - Group 1 Handicap
G2H - Group 2 Handicap
G3H - Group 3 Handicap
LH - Listed Handicap
60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 100, 105, 110, 115, 120, 125, 130, 135, 140, 145, 150, 160 or 180 - Handicaps
N - Novice
NH - Novice Handicap
JUV - Juvenile
JUVH - Juvenile Handicap
NHF - NH Flat Race
HUNT - Hunter Chase

When it comes to conditions races, you can either create a Conditions Race (just add any of the following by itself), or you can add conditions to any other race type (see the example above where I have added conditions to a G3 race). The options available are (where there is an =, you need to enter a number after this in the file):

COND:musthaverun (horses must have previously run)
COND:maxwins= (the race will only be open to horses that have won that number or fewer races)
COND:maxruns= (the race will only be open to horses that have run in that number or fewer races)
COND:notwonclass= (the race will only be open to horses that have not won that class of race or higher)
COND:notwongroup= (the race will only be open to horses that have not won that level of group race or higher)

The third piece of information is the age restrictions. The following are available:

2 - 2yo only
23 - 2 & 3yo only
2UP - 2yo+
3 - 3yo only
34 - 3 & 4yo only
3UP - 3yo+
4UP - 4yo+
5UP - 5yo+
6UP - 6yo+
10UP - 10yo+

The fourth piece of information is optional, and relates to any sex restrictions. If it's left blank, there is no restriction, otherwise the following can be used:

F - Fillies only
FM - Fillies & Mares only
C - Entire Colts only
CG - Colts & Geldings only
CF - Entire Colts & Fillies

I wouldn't use F, C or CF for races that include older horses, as you will find the races won't include mares or stallions, so there won't be any horses above the age of 4. I would only use those options for races that are restricted to 2 or 3yo only (although I would use CG for races that aren't restricted to entire colts), and would use FM or CG for relevant races that are open to older horses.

Second line of data

Examples

250000
500000,X
30000,F13,R100

The number represents the total added prize money for the race.

The other information is optional. The second piece of information you can include here relates to field size, and you have the following options:

S - Small (roughly up to 10 runners in non-handicaps and up to around 14 runners in handicaps)
M - Medium (roughly up to 15 runners in non-handicaps and up to around 20 runners in handicaps)
X - Large (roughly up to 20 runners in non-handicaps and up to 30 runners in handicaps)
F - Fixed (followed by a number, as in the example above, this is the maximum field allowed in the race)

For fixed fields, in handicaps the game will allow more than the maximum to be declared, with the horses missing the cut (based on ratings) being eliminated on the day of the race. For non-handicaps, a fixed field will usually allow up to the maximum to be declared.

The third piece of information here (which again is optional), is the maximum preferred rating for horses in the race. You enter an R, followed by the rating, as in the example above. This is particularly useful for setting a preferred ratings ceiling for races that are otherwise open, such as with graded or open handicaps in the jumps game.

Third line of data

The third line of data is just the racecourse. Please note that in the jumps game you would add a 2 to the end of the name to denote that it's the hurdles course, as if you just put the course name in it will assume it's the chase course (note, you would add a 3 to Aintree to select the National course!). Also, on the flat game there are now two courses at Newmarket and Lingfield. The default options are the Rowley Mile and Lingfield's turf course, so you would add a 2 if you wanted to use the July Course or Lingfield's all-weather.

Fourth line of data

The fourth line of data is the race name. This much match exactly with what you're planning to put in the schedule file, otherwise it won't work!

Fifth line of data

The fifth line of data is just the month of the race. This is actually just as a guide, to make it easier to find races when you're glancing through them either in the file or in the schedule editor in the game.

If anyone has any questions, please ask, and if I've missed anything I will update this later

nice on mate cheers
makes it simple now

Great help mate, one quick question though when i open up notepad to mess around with the file, when i go to save it i get a access denied message. Any help? Thanks.

You need to right click the file go into properties click into security click edit and then assign who is allowed to change files namely yourself

Is it possible to make new showcase races or can you only edit current races?

Am Yes

Yes, it's easy enough to add new races to any of the showcase files. Just use the information in my first post when it comes to adding all the race details.

Panther what if i wanted to make a claiming or selling race what do i add instead of M for maiden.

I've not tried it, to be honest, but I imagine it would just be C or S.

lol yes c works for claimers not tried sellers yet

I have never tried making a new schedule, other than the editor. But I have been desperate to try making all feature races sellers and claimers and buying all of the top horses (massive cheat, but my experiment in my game). I think using your guide and others I could do it, but what happens to the default schedule and what happens to the schedule I have created in the editor? Will the seller one overwrite the previous two because I have edited the game data or will it create a separate folder like when you edit a schedule in the editor?

I am sorry if you have posted this and I've misread or missed it completely... I just really want to give this a go.

Is this going to be the new tactic for league preparation then? If you're going to alter the showcases files, save a backup, and instead of altering the existing races, add new ones- the sellers in and then when you create the schedule in the editor just remove all the group 1s and add in only sellers.

Just back up the default file (or reinstalling the last patch would also take you back to the default files) before you start changing it

If you change all the feature races to sellers and claimers though, the game won't work properly. No horses in the game will be able to reach high ratings, as the highest level of race in the schedule would be the conditions races, and the game also won't put top class horses in sellers and claimers, even if they're feature races.

Just out of interest, even though I have no intention of doing this, could you make a group 1 seller?

No, this wouldn't be possible.