Another great win but Black & Bent's future targets undecided

Brilliant jumper Black And Bent's future is still up in the air after his superb win in the J.J. Houlahan Hurdle 3400m at Sandown Lakeside on Sunday. Connections are considering that tempting Melbourne Cup bid they've talked about for so long - but there's also a rich jumps race in Japan or perhaps the legendary Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham in England next March. If a Melbourne Cup campaign is thrown his way, B&B may run on the flat again at Moonee Valley in a fortnight and then shoot for q

Brilliant jumper Black And Bent's future is still up in the air after his superb win in the J.J. Houlahan Hurdle 3400m at Sandown Lakeside on Sunday. Connections are considering that tempting Melbourne Cup bid they've talked about for so long - but there's also a rich jumps race in Japan or perhaps the legendary Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham in England next March. If a Melbourne Cup campaign is thrown his way, B&B may run on the flat again at Moonee Valley in a fortnight and then shoot for qualification with a win in either The Metropolitan in Sydney, the Ansett Classic at Mornington or the Bart Cummings at Flemington.

Not everyone was raving about Glen Boss's winning ride on the sensational Smart Missile in the Run To The Rose. Many reckon the horse saved him from embrassment. In the Sydney Morning Herald, veteran scribbler Max Presnell says: 'Glen Boss had the hide to call Smart Missile ''arrogant''. Surely the racing plate was on the other hoof. Boss rides in a manner that stimulates the freak performance and makes horses look great. With 50 metres to go in the Run To The Rose at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday, we were seeking a hanging tree for the jockey, plus a lead bag to make sure the fall was effective.'

Cup downer...The Luca Cumani-trained Drunken Sailor has put his anticipated Melbourne Cup bid under a cloud. He was unplaced as odds-on fav in the 2800m Listed March Stakes at Goodwood at the weekend. The 7YOI gelding won the March Stakes last year to earn a tilt at the Melbourne spring carnival, but was well beaten in both runs here.