YOU can look at the William Hill Hurdle through sepia- or rose-tinted glasses if you want. You can watch Make A Stand winning the race in 1997, when it was the Tote Gold Trophy, under a 4lb penalty for winning the Lanzarote Hurdle three weeks earlier, back when the Lanzarote Hurdle was run over two miles, and think, what brand of certainty was he off a mark of 140?

Or you can point to Persian War’s win in 1968, when it was the Schweppes, under 11st 13lb and taking on 30 rivals, and to his win in the Champion Hurdle a month later, and 13 months later, and 25 months later. No William Hill Hurdle winner has carried more than 11st 8lb since.