A start for Some Are Bent in Saturday's The Australian Hurdle hinges on him being able to qualify in a hurdle trial at Stony Creek on Wednesday.The Stony Creek jumps trials were washed out on Friday and rescheduled for Wednesday and Smerdon was relying on better weather to allow them to proceed.If the trials were to be called off again, it would mean Some Are Bent would not be able to contest The Australian Hurdle (3400m) as he is not qualified over the new hurdles.Some Are Bent hasn't raced in

A start for Some Are Bent in Saturday's The Australian Hurdle hinges on him being able to qualify in a hurdle trial at Stony Creek on Wednesday.

The Stony Creek jumps trials were washed out on Friday and rescheduled for Wednesday and Smerdon was relying on better weather to allow them to proceed.

If the trials were to be called off again, it would mean Some Are Bent would not be able to contest The Australian Hurdle (3400m) as he is not qualified over the new hurdles.

Some Are Bent hasn't raced in a hurdle event since finishing runner-up to Emgee Rex in the Lachal Hurdle (3400m) at Flemington in May 2008.

Trainer Robert Smerdon has decided to revert to the smaller hurdles for Some Are Bent who carried a hefty 71kg to win the Brierly Steeple (3450m) at Warrnambool on May 4.

But he subsequently fell in the Grand Annual Steeple (5500m) at Warrnambool two days later and then failed to finish in a 3300m steeplechase won by Tarawera at Sandown on June 2.

His rider Steven Pateman pulled him up before the last fence as the dual Jumper of the Year had lost his position after failing to handle the bigger new steeplechase fences.

Now a rising nine-year-old, Some Are Bent won the 2008 Hiskens Steeple (3712m) at Moonee Valley but before that was an outstanding hurdler winning eight races over the smaller fences including the 2007 Grand National Hurdle (4250m) at Sandown.

The gelding could be opposed on Saturday by his in-form stablemate and younger half-brother Black And Bent who has won at his past five starts.

Since winning the Galleywood Hurdle (3200m) - a race Some Are Bent won in 2007 - at Warrnambool on May 5, Black And Bent has been ticking over nicely on the flat with wins at Sandown (2400m), Moonee Valley (3000m) and Flemington (2500m).

Part-owner Mike Symons, who does all the race programming of both Black And Bent and Some Are Bent, has kept the stable's options open by also entering Black And Bent for the $100,000 Stayer's Cup (3200m) at Rosehill on Saturday.

There were 13 nominations for both The Australian Hurdle and The Australian Steeplechase (3900m).

Robbie Laing entered last year's Grand National Hurdle winner Desert Master in both events as did Eric Musgrove with last-start Sandown hurdle winner Famous Prince.

Entries for The Australian Steeple include the 2007 and 2009 winner Mazzacano, reigning Grand Annual Steeple winner Al Garhood, last-start Sandown Steeple winner Tarawera and recent Great Southern Steeple winner Virvacity.