UK Horse Racing

The UK Horse Racing Ratings

Change In Class

This is another powerful tool which demonstrates how much a horse is rising or dropping in class from its last race.

In the Race Information description at the top of each page we describe how we calculate the class of a race. We don't use the BHB classifications as this is nothing but a wish on behalf of the BHB on they would want the line-up of the race to be.

Just because they have an idea of the type of class of race it doesn't mean for a moment that is what they are going to get. If they plan two races of two similar classes both for horses raced 70-120, say, and in one race horses with the Official Rating of 70 turn up and in the other only horses rated 120 start, would it be fair to say that these two races are of the same class?

We at UK Horse Racing think not. The two races are of completely different classes

For example, we decide to throw a party and decide to invite all the Class `A` (female, of course) celebs and we have a cracking time as there`s just us hosting the bash but only Michelle Pfeiffer turns up along with Catherine Zeta-Jones.

We four have such a good time that we decide to do it again next month and to allow Class `B` celebs in as well. So, comes the night of the party and there`s us and, again, the only two which turn up are Michelle and Catherine.

Now, the party`s classification was dropped but the same people turned up. Has the party dropped in class or has it stayed the same?

If you follow the punters which read the classification of the event as being the indication of class then it has dropped in class. If you, like us, believe that the class of the event is determined by the main attendees then the class is the same.

Back to racing; consider the Derby the in 2004. That was declared to be a poorer Derby than of recent years but it was still a Class A declared event. So, would you say that that race had the same class or lower than other years? We would say that it was lower.

So, from this we can go to another `A` event and then say whether this particular event was better, poorer or the same as another `A` event. Because we look at the participants and not the labelling.

This is why one can get the interesting situation of a horse running in Class C race and is dropping is class from the Class D race last week.

Comment?

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