Yes they could have withdrawn on the day if necessary. Happens every day. That is what makes it suspiciously like avoiding the race whatever the ground, which leads me more to the other 2 scenarios. If the ground is OK on Champions day, and he doesn't run, that would only leave the 3rd of those scenarios. Maybe another scenario is that it was a mistake to run at Ascot on the fast ground and he isn't fully recovered from it (remember Treve), in which case he still may not have come Champions day
Looking at his run that day, which was run in a very fast time
"Sweating, rousted along early, chased leaders, never travelled and pushed along or niggled along from 8f out, effort on outer bend over 2f out, driven and quickened to lead entering final 2f, headed over 1f out, kept on but held after, eased near finish"
Whether a Cracksman fan or not (as Doalittle clearly isn't
) he was clearly out of sorts and ran several pounds below his ability. So that was some performance in the circumstances. On a going day he would have definitely won and may even have broken the track recordFor my money, he was the only horse potentially capable of beating an on song Enable in the Arc. I still think 12f with give in the ground was his best option. It is a great shame we won't see it
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