Hammond admits he will spend the summer perplexed by his stable star's Cheltenham effort when pulled-up in the Unibet Champion Hurdle won by Epatante.
Nevertheless, the Middleham-based trainer was delighted by the progress the former low-grade Flat handicapper made last season - and novice chasing now beckons.
"Obviously he didn't run his race, and we don't know why - he was perfectly OK afterwards," said Hammond.
"It's the first poor race he's run over hurdles. If we'd finished midfield you could have said, 'that's as good as we are' - but we stopped too quickly.
"It wasn't his day, but he's had a good season. That's racing, you're going to get that every now and again - he just chose to do it on the biggest one of all."
Having beaten Buveur D'Air in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle in November, Cornerstone Lad then finished a close third at Haydock behind Ballyandy and Pentland Hills, conceding weight all round.
Hammond added: "Looking at where Ballyandy finished at Cheltenham, we could have run well without realistically being good enough.
"I haven't discussed next season with Mrs Lofthouse (owner), but I would think we'll be going novice chasing.
"He will at some stage run on the Flat, but that is all up in the air now."
