World at his feet...Grand National star has choice of major targets

MELBOURNE in the spring. Tokyo at Christmas. Or perhaps Cheltenham next March? The world is at the hooves of spring-heeled jumps champion Black And Bent, who once again proved his class with an effortless victory in the $200,000 Grand National Hurdle at Sandown yesterday afternoon, reports The Age/SMH. It says: The Robert Smerdon-trained, Steven Pateman-ridden six-year-old treated his rivals with what is becoming customary disdain as he cruised in a handy spot for much of the 3900-metre journey

MELBOURNE in the spring. Tokyo at Christmas. Or perhaps Cheltenham next March? The world is at the hooves of spring-heeled jumps champion Black And Bent, who once again proved his class with an effortless victory in the $200,000 Grand National Hurdle at Sandown yesterday afternoon, reports The Age/SMH.

It says: The Robert Smerdon-trained, Steven Pateman-ridden six-year-old treated his rivals with what is becoming customary disdain as he cruised in a handy spot for much of the 3900-metre journey before taking control at the second last of the dozen obstacles to record a 12-length victory over the gallant grey Desert Master ($17), who had cut out much of the running, with Famous Prince ($20) a further three-and-a-quarter lengths away in third. The fact that he was a virtually unbackable $1.30 chance didn't really seem to matter for the vocal group of jumping devotees who rose to cheer their hero home once he had negotiated the final hurdle.

Good horses have that sort of impact on fans - as the Black Caviar phenomenon over the past year has shown on the flat - and although Black And Bent operates in an entirely different sphere to Peter Moody's magnificent mare, he is just as dominant over obstacles as the queen of the turf is over short-course distances on the level.
The biggest conundrum facing Smerdon and the horse's syndicate of owners - headed, appropriately enough by Melbourne Racing Club chairman Mike Symons - is what path to set him on in the medium to long term.

His next assignment is straightforward enough. Black And Bent will seek to emulate his older half-brother, Some Are Bent, and take out the J.J. Houlahan Hurdle at Sandown in a fortnight's time when the race over the smaller jumps will be the support act for the Grand National Steeple.