Re the CH, think back to how the race appeared to be unfolding - before we had access to the sectional information. Hurricane Fly was in trouble at halfway. Walsh was clearly unhappy with the way the horse was travelling, scrubbing and cajoling him along to try and stay in touch. I remember thinking at least I don't have to worry about that one and the big G is clearly going best of everything else. I stopped short of counting my dosh because I thought he was just stretching ever so slightly at one or two of his hurdles and then he came down at the next.
I think you only have to see how the rest of the race panned out to see that the sectionals explain what looked to happen to the naked eye. I remember wondering if Hurricane Fly was closing becuse the others were wilting. I even remember thinking 'World Hurle next year' because I thought he was just outstaying them.
The sectional information is meaningless unless there is intelligent interpretation of it. Magic Eye pictures are just wallpaper if you don't know how to adjust your vision.
And how telling is the comment that MTOY ran the trip faster than Champagne Fever? I'll never back him again at this track unless the opposition is weak.
On the other hand, I'm reminded of that Champion Stakes winner Dettori rode about ten years ago. Weaved a path all over the course yet the Turftrax transponder found that the horse covered less ground than anything else!
DO
With respect, you're making exactly the same assumption others have, in believing sectional times give some magical insight that renders all previous form and profiles meaningless. They are - at best - a guide, and need to be interpreted intelligently along with how the protagonists have performed previously.
Nothing in Hurricane Fly's profile suggests he needs a stamina test to be seen at his best, having won any number of 2m races, on all kinds of ground and myriad paces, with a telling turn of foot at the business end.
Rock On Ruby, conversely, has always needed a stiff test at the distance to be seen at his best, and had his finest hour in the strongest run CH of recent seasons.
Zarkandar, likewise, was staying on strongly at the end of that race, and everything he's done since suggests he's a horse who needs further. PN has confirmed as much, stating that he's to be stepped up in trip in future.
Countrywide Flame's profile is less clear, though as a stayer on the flat he'll probably need further in time, and has the 2.5m Aintree hurdle as his next target.
Nothing in the above suggests HF has suddenly morphed into a horse that would outstay horses who need further, yet we are asked to accept that as the case here.
Fwiw, my view is that ROR set an injudicious pace, (went too quick early, without drawing others into the race) but still had enough in the tank to fight off both 3rd and 4th throughout the closing stages. HF was niggled along at one stage (about 6f out, imo) but never uncomfortably, and simply did the others for speed.
MTOY was an entirely different story, and was beaten by a pace set up specifically to thwart the opposition CF was up against.
