Emerging staying star Black And Bent is out of the rich spring and autumn carnivals after suffering a tendon injury.Trainer Robert Smerdon said on Wednesday he was unsure of the extent of the damage but declared the four-year-old would not race again for a year.Renowned for his toughness, Black And Bent has won eight races this season, the most of any galloper in Victoria, and also has the most Melbourne wins with seven on city tracks.He was chasing his seventh win in a row last Saturday when he

Emerging staying star Black And Bent is out of the rich spring and autumn carnivals after suffering a tendon injury.

Trainer Robert Smerdon said on Wednesday he was unsure of the extent of the damage but declared the four-year-old would not race again for a year.

Renowned for his toughness, Black And Bent has won eight races this season, the most of any galloper in Victoria, and also has the most Melbourne wins with seven on city tracks.

He was chasing his seventh win in a row last Saturday when he was beaten in a photo-finish by Niptious at Moonee Valley.

On Monday he was among 10 horses nominated for Victorian Racehorse of the Year.

This season four of his wins have been over hurdles including this year's Australian and Galleywood Hurdles and last year's Lachal Hurdle.

He would have been one of the favourites for Saturday's $150,000 Banjo Paterson Final (2500m) at Flemington.

Smerdon said Black And Bent was found to have injured his near-front tendon after trackwork on Monday.

He said there was still a lot of swelling and that the leg was being treated with anti-inflammatory drugs and ice before it is rescanned at the end of the week.

"We will then see what the extent of it is," Smerdon said.

"It doesn't matter if it is minor or major he is still out for a year."

Black And Bent has won 12 of his 33 starts and more than $460,000 in prizemoney.