I can't really understand why after 4 Cox Plates people are still looking for reasons to pot her..
2.7 strides per second is just part of the reason she is a freak athlete.
As far as small fields go, for the last 3 years trainers have deliberately avoided racing their horses against her targeting other races to try and win the elusive Group 1's for breeding and pedigree. Yes the minor placing prize money is good, but horses aren't robots and you only get so many runs in a prep - or a career for that matter, so going in races they think they cant win for some trainers is pointless.
Anyone remember the 2016 Caulfield stakes over 2000m ? There was only Winx , Black Hart Bart and He Or She. I remember Weir'y saying specifically that the $100k second prize was the only reason Black Hart Bart was in the race!! That was a smart cash collect there.
https://www.racing.com/news/2016-10-05/winx-scares-off-caulfield-stakes-rivals
Cheers,
Disco.
