IMO, you make a good point here Speedy. I record the performance of the Open 1st & 2nd favourites for every race, as it's inherit in the system I use. I believe that tracks used rarely for TAB races like Clare, Hamilton, Warren...etc, have a poor performance with regard oncourse bookmakers Open favourites. But in saying that you can get Eagle Farm say on the 13th of Nov and not one 1st or 2nd Open favourite won!

Design of the course has got a lot to do with it I think. I can't remember which track it was from yesterday, Port Macquarie or Townsville, but the nature of the track design was that after rounding the home turn they were bunched well and then the straight was long and wide which gave the backmarkers a chance to find the lead?

There's definitely something to be said for the track design and local knowledge at indistinct tracks.