On the flat or over the jumps. No matter the race, the place or the opposition there’s no stopping racing’s newest star.
Black and Bent’s his name and winning is his game.
Today the outstanding four-year-old made it seven consecutive wins with a demolition of his rivals in the $100,000 The Australian Hurdle (3400m) at Sandown.
The Black Hawk gelding was sent out the hot favourite after three brilliant wins on the flat on three different Melbourne tracks.
He never gave his followers any reason for concern, cruising along for much of the race before bursting clear down the side and streaking clear to win by a soft 12 lengths.
Top cross country jockey Steven Pateman had time to look around, urge the others to catch up and then pose for the cameras prior to the star hitting the line.
Pateman said the world was Black and Bent’s oyster – suggesting he would be up to the best jumpers in Europe.
“He won that easy and he’s an absolute superstar,” Pateman reported. “What time is that staying race in Sydney – he could go around in that.”
“He’s great for the sport and it’s great for the connections to give me the ride – it’s an opportunity I’ve been waiting for all my career to ride such a good horse,” he added.
“It’s such an incredible feeling. We’re so lucky to be able to ride these kinds of horses. Such a thrill”
“You’d seriously have to think he could be a champion jumping horse of England.”
“This horse is a very good galloper (on the flat) and he’s the cream of the crop for jumpers.”
Winning trainer Robert Smerdon said Black and Bent’s immediate international target would be the Nakayama Grand Jump.
“Against those horses his class really shone through,” Smerdon said. “He was able to travel for a long way.”
“These races were always the plan for him. We were running him in those staying races to get him fit for these and he was going that well he was winning them.”
“We didn’t think he would be doing that on the way though – it’s been a real bonus.”
“The next thing for him now is to make the transition to the bigger fences.”
“We want to get him through to a feature steeple later in the season and get an invite to Japan – you have to be a steeplechaser to get that invite.”
For part owner Mike Symons, today’s success continued a golden run for he and the gelding’s connections.
“We’ve been blessed,” Symons said. “It’s difficult to put it into words.”
“He’s a star.”
“The horse is flying. He’s a tough, iron horse like his brother (Some Are Bent) – we’re enjoying the ride.”
Black and Bent, from the grand producer Summer Gambit, was bred and sold by Rob and Maureen McBryde’s Summerset Park Stud.
He was purchased by for Rick McIntosh by Blue Sky Thoroughbreds for $25,000 at the 2007 Magic Millions National Yearling Sale at the Gold Coast.
As it stands his outstanding record reads out at 12 wins and eight placings from just 32 starts and earnings of $455,766.
