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Handicapping Blog - Jumper Re-Ratings
Jumper Re-Ratings
The countdown is now on to what looks like a fitting season finale for the jumpers at Te Aroha – a two-day carnival featuring the newly named Great NZ Hurdles (19/9 - sponsored by J Swap) and Great NZ Steeplechase (21/9 - sponsored by Ben and Ryan Foote).
Given a small pool of horses and limited race options jumper re-ratings are challenging. There is a balancing act of not over-penalising the emerging young jumpers, but likewise not making the weight differential impossible for the high-rated jumpers.
In practice there becomes quite a jump in ratings from a maiden race win (rating 69) to finishing top-3 in the Premier Jumps Races (PJR) where the limit weight (minimum) is generally at a mid-80 rating.
Notable PJR re-ratings for progressing jumpers this jumps season include:
|
Jesko |
89 |
1st Wellington Steeples |
|
|
Nedwin |
89 |
1st Pakuranga Hunt Cup |
|
|
Billy Boy |
88 |
1st Wellington Hurdles |
|
|
Dictation |
86 |
1st Waikato Hurdles |
|
|
Quid |
84 |
2nd Grand National Hurdles |
|
|
Hill Of Kings |
84 |
1st Pakuranga Hunt Hurdles |
|
|
Call Me Jack |
83 |
2nd Wellington Steeples |
|
|
Squire |
82 |
2nd Pakuranga Hunt Hurdles |
|
|
Smug* |
80 |
1st Hawkes Bay Steeples |
|
|
Call Me Jack |
77 |
2nd Waikato Steeples |
|
|
Fourty Eight |
76 |
3rd Pakuranga Hunt Cup |
*Smug won as a maiden
Crystal ball gazing at the indicative rating and weights set-up for the two Great NZ jump races:
Great NZ Hurdles
|
Berry The Cash |
101 |
73 |
|
Sulliman |
88 |
66.5 |
|
Billy Boy |
88 |
66.5 |
|
Lord Spencer |
87 |
66 |
|
Happy Star |
87 |
66 |
|
Taika |
86 |
66 |
|
Mont Ventoux |
85 |
66 |
|
Hill Of Kings |
84 |
66 |
|
Quid |
84 |
66 |
|
Squire |
82 |
66 |
Great NZ Steeples
|
West Coast |
104 |
73 |
|
Captains Run |
97 |
69.5 |
|
The Cossack |
97 |
69.5 |
|
Jesko |
95 |
68.5 |
|
Te Kahu |
91 |
66.5 |
|
Nedwin |
89 |
66 |
|
Fourty Eight |
76 |
66 |
NB: A deeper explanation of the 84 re-rating for Hill Of Kings was requested.
He was competing 12 points out of the handicap, and, for alignment, carrying the same weight as runner-up Squire.
For simplicity in explanation, in beating Squire (82) at level weights Hill Of Kings has to move ahead of his rating – not dissimilar to a black-type re-rating process for flat races. Hill Of Kings moving to rating 84 is 2 points (1kg) above Squire.
It is worth noting that Hill Of Kings performance is actually higher than rating 84 relative other placegetters.
Recent Pakuranga Hurdles re-ratings:
|
2025 |
Hill Of Kings |
84 |
|
2024 |
Taika |
86 |
|
2023 |
English Gambler |
83 |