HE DROPS a whopping 4.5 kilograms in weight, but Australia's best jumper Black And Bent will be at his most vulnerable on Sunday when he tackles the $100,000 Lafferty Hurdle at Warrnambool, according to his trainer Robert Smerdon, reports The Age. It says: Earlier this month, Black And Bent carried a record 73.5kg to win a hurdle race in Adelaide, but although he only has a 69kg impost under the set weights conditions of the Lafferty Hurdle, Smerdon said the likely wet conditions and longer jour
HE DROPS a whopping 4.5 kilograms in weight, but Australia's best jumper Black And Bent will be at his most vulnerable on Sunday when he tackles the $100,000 Lafferty Hurdle at Warrnambool, according to his trainer Robert Smerdon, reports The Age.
It says: Earlier this month, Black And Bent carried a record 73.5kg to win a hurdle race in Adelaide, but although he only has a 69kg impost under the set weights conditions of the Lafferty Hurdle, Smerdon said the likely wet conditions and longer journey would test the rising six-year-old.
''He's in a pretty vulnerable position despite his weight drop,'' Smerdon said. ''He's got to rise to 3600 metres in what I am told will be extreme testing conditions as the rain just hasn't stopped there.''
Smerdon said that although Black And Bent handled wet tracks, the extra 500 metres and the heavy going would be taxing on the horse who has had just one jumps race in more than a year. ''But we're pretty much committed to run there as it's two weeks until the [Grand] National,'' Smerdon said. ''He's a tough horse, but he is going to need to be as he has to come back from a trip to Adelaide and then take on a very good field in those conditions.''