TIME Will Tell readers will know that even slight changes in pace, trip, ground or track, are likely to make a difference to a horse’s performance, in practice as well as in theory, so it should come as no surprise when significant changes see form being turned on its head.

The Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot and last week’s July Cup at Newmarket were both run at six furlongs on good-to-firm ground, but in other respects were like chalk and cheese. Not only is Ascot a stiffer test than Newmarket’s July Course, as judged by standard times and Google Earth measurements, a strongly-run race at the former is very different to a steadily-run one at the latter.