Hemmings is not averse to having more than one runner in a race and I think he would have still run Many Clouds even if Burton Port had run.
An interesting quandary is that Phil Smith has said he will put Many Clouds up 7lbs and will not be dropping him for the National no matter how badly he runs next season. Isn’t this a discouragement for National winners to run in chases the following season with so much prize money in the National and the risk of injury?
Although this may not be the case with such a big owner as Hemmings, it may deter smaller owners like Pineau De Re’s from running in chases the following season after winning the race.