"Handicaps are probably out - he'd have to be giving away five and six kilos so he'd have no chance."
Ocean Emperor came through his run in the Kranji Mile without a problem, his chances there disappearing soon after barrier rise.
"It was still a creditable run, in the last 50m he was still finding the line," Hennessy said.
"I don't think we could have had him any brighter, but he wasn't able to get a decent position in the first 200m and you needed to be on the pace.
"The horse inside us went forward and then got crowded out and came back on us - it was just one of those things.
"He's doing well and the guys with him in quarantine said he's been eating and doing everything right," Hennessy said.
Ocean Emperor, who was ridden by expatriate Kiwi jockey Jason Collett, has won seven races, including the group two Japan Trophy (1600m) and the group two Tauranga Stakes (1600m).
- NZ Racing Desk