Imo you'd be right >90% of the time there Sportz but I still see conspiracies all over the place. (Don't try to tell me that Lee Harvey Oswald wasn't set up).
There are many examples, and I'm not saying you would see it every meeting, of a horse being raced at a distance far too long for it just so that it can post a genuine 8,9 or 0 alongside the name and a big beaten margin. Next start back to a more suitable distance, not even necessarily his pet distance, and a much better price is available and he often gets the bikkies. I suspect the trainer would justify it by saying the longer race was part of the conditioning process (only after the win of course).

Regards