Thats right Dr., we can no longer assume that a runner going up or down in class name is facing easier or more harder opposition.

The class changes quoted in my research are based on class or if you like to call them the "race quality" / "field strength" values in the database I use for my racing activities. These values are calculated by examination of the actual starters in each race and there overall record, weighted towards recent performances. So irrespective of the class name of the race the class values and therefore class changes I refer to in the analysis presented are based on the changes in quality of opposition a horse has faced from one run to the next....not the class name.