Champion jumper Some Are Bent had his Australian Steeplechase plans thrown into disarray when he pulled up lame after failing to complete the course in his lead-up race at Sandown.Despite jumping below his best he was with leaders rounding the home turn but was soon under pressure and jockey Steven Pateman pulled him out of the race before the last fence in Wednesday's Redleap Steeplechase (3300m)."He didn't feel like the normal Some Are Bent so I decided pull him up and wait for another day," P

Champion jumper Some Are Bent had his Australian Steeplechase plans thrown into disarray when he pulled up lame after failing to complete the course in his lead-up race at Sandown.

Despite jumping below his best he was with leaders rounding the home turn but was soon under pressure and jockey Steven Pateman pulled him out of the race before the last fence in Wednesday's Redleap Steeplechase (3300m).

"He didn't feel like the normal Some Are Bent so I decided pull him up and wait for another day," Pateman said.

"He was on the outside rein from the 1000 metres and that was the indicator he just wasn't right today."

A veterinary examination revealed that the dual Australian Jumper of the Year was lame in the off-foreleg.

Some Are Bent was having his first jumps start since falling in the Grand Annual Steeplechase on May 6, two days after winning the Brierly Steeplechase at the Warrnambool carnival.

Trainer Robert Smerdon applauded Pateman's decision to ease up on Some Are Bent when the $1.45 favourite was out of contention.

He said he would assess the horse over the next few days before deciding whether to push on the Australian Steeplechase (3900m) at Sandown on June 19.

"We will just let the dust settle a bit before we decide what to do," Smerdon said.

The only other runner to fail to finish was Destiny Calls who was unharmed when he fell at the last jump, dislodging jockey Craig Durden who walked away.

Promising jumper Tarawera won the race which was his first start over fences after a win and a second from four hurdle starts.

Trainer Fran Houlahan said she went into the race thinking Tarawera was running for second to Some Are Bent and was thrilled that he was able to win.

Jockey Brett Scott said he had trouble getting the four-year-old to settle but was impressed with his staying power.

"He was green but tough to the line," Scott said.

He said Tarawera got lost when he got to the front approaching the last fence and lost a couple of lengths when he got his legs tangled on the landing side before going on to score by a length from Beach D'Or and Our Santa.

The Winterset Hurdle (3300m) was run without incident with the Eric Musgrove-trained Famous Prince adding to his last-start win at Pakenham with a 2-3/4 length victory over Vindicating and Corries.

Famous Prince will have his next start in the Australian Hurdle (2400m) at Sandown on June 19.

Some Are Bent's half-brother Black And Bent was scratched from the Winterset and, after winning on the flat at Moonee Valley last week, will back up in Saturday's second heat of the Banjo Paterson Series (2500m) at Flemington before heading to the Australian Hurdle.