A CHANGE of codes at this time of year means a change of assessment levels.

Long-established rating systems – such as those used by the BHA, the ITC and Timeform – are based on the idea of a Free Handicap at the end of the season, with the best flat horses coming in at around 140 (10st 0lb) and the best jumpers at 175 (12st 7lb).

Many things have changed over the years, including the disappearance of any actual Free Handicap over jumps and the appearance of more than a few horses over jumps (and one or two on the flat) comfortably in excess of that theoretical ceiling. But that is the reason why jumps figures are traditionally higher than flat ones.

That is reflected in the numbers quoted in this column, also, and a guide is provided alongside of the sorts of figures winners might need to run to in order to achieve the requisite standard in various jumps categories. There may be a fair amount of variance within those categories, of course.

It is the nature of the sport that races are not run to achieve the best possible times, but instead for one horse to beat another. Nonetheless, enough races are well-run that once a horse has appeared twice or more at least one of its times should reflect its innate ability, and sometimes it happens more quickly than that.