BARBURY Castle trainer Alan King has identified the Argento Chase at Cheltenham next month for Smad Place.
Last season's narrow RSA Chase runner-up was aimed at the Hennessy first time out this season, but the grey faded into fifth, beaten 20 lengths by Many Clouds, on what was his seasonal reappearance.
A rematch with Oliver Sherwood's Hennessy winner looks to be on the cards, with the Cheltenham event on January 24 also mooted for Many Clouds, where Prestbury Park specialist The Giant Bolster is likely to be lying in wait.
"We have still not given up hope that Smad Place might be a Gold Cup horse, and the plan is to take him back to Cheltenham at the end of January for the Argento Chase," said King on his website, alankingracing.co.uk.
"The Hennessy took a fair bit out of him and we have always stressed that he needs his races spaced out, so the break will do him good."
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