I don't know about the rest of you but I've had a miserable run on the punt for over a year now. I'm following a method that had been successful in the previous 6 years. Perhaps it's just that statistical abberation (or maybe the 6 good years were)but I believe the proliferation of small fields may have something to do with it.
The tendency in these seems to be to dawdle in a bunch and then sprint over the final 400m. With a soft run the leaders seem to be getting home. Hence it appears to be luck or the jockey's judgement on the day that gets the horse home. Horses like my old favourites Foxseal and Super Impose would find it hard to win in these circumstances (perhaps even Bernborough). Any thoughts?

You mention a "method". I hope that is based on form analysis and not system rules because systems have a habit of falling to pieces and not recovering.
It pays to back on pace runners. If you choose backmarkers then you must get much longer odds to make up for the disadvantages - eg lack of pace, held up for a run etc. etc. When backing backmarkers it is always risky if there are not at least a couple of leaders in the race. Look at Bravisa today at Doomben. Sent out at a short price but had no chance.