SOMETHING strange happened in last year’s Hennessy Gold Cup. A lot of the fancied horses who were making their seasonal debuts in the Hennessy, who had been readied for the race, disappointed at least a little.
Smad Place wasn’t desperately disappointing, he finished fifth, but he finished a tired horse, he raced as if he was in need of the run. Djakadam ran below expectations, and he proved later on, in the Thyestes Chase and in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, that those expectations were well founded. Indeed, Houblon Des Obeaux, a 50/1 exposed-looking chaser, was the only horse who was making his seasonal debut who managed to finish in the first four in last year’s race.
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