Champion 'chaser Some Are Bent carried the biggest weight to victory in a Brierly Steeplechase in 50 years when he shouldered 71kg to a gallant win at Warrnambool.And trainer Robert Smerdon says he will be guided by how the eight-year-old pulls up before deciding on a start in Thursday's Grand Annual Steeple (5500m).In what Smerdon described as a real "adrenalin rush", the $2.80 favourite proved superior in Tuesday's 3450m feature despite the big weight."You are actually concerned for their welf

Champion 'chaser Some Are Bent carried the biggest weight to victory in a Brierly Steeplechase in 50 years when he shouldered 71kg to a gallant win at Warrnambool.

And trainer Robert Smerdon says he will be guided by how the eight-year-old pulls up before deciding on a start in Thursday's Grand Annual Steeple (5500m).

In what Smerdon described as a real "adrenalin rush", the $2.80 favourite proved superior in Tuesday's 3450m feature despite the big weight.

"You are actually concerned for their welfare, that everything goes well. He's done a really good job," Smerdon said.

"He's getting older and you can't be as good as you are in your prime and he's had a couple of years off but he's still very, very competitive and he was given a competitive weight today."

Some Are Bent was patiently ridden by replacement jockey Steven Pateman who gave him a beautiful run in third place behind the dashing Al Garhood and Last Shogun.

Al Garhood, in quest of his third successive Brierly victory, beat off Last Shogun when making the right-hand turn over the Tozer Road double back on to the course proper with Some Are Bent still third.

Despite Al Garhood opening up a good break on the home turn, Some Are Bent's superior flat ability came to the fore in the straight and he raced clear to score by 2-1/4 lengths with Last Shogun six lengths away third.

Pateman replaced regular rider Brad McLean who was stood down by Racing Victoria stewards but will be back aboard Some Are Bent on Thursday if cleared to ride.

McLean returned an irregularity in a urine sample when tested by stewards two weeks ago at Sandown and was tested again on Tuesday morning.

He said on Tuesday that he had taken a dietary supplement to keep his weight in check.

"Not regularly, but anyway we'll deal with that in the next week or so," he said.

He made the trip to his home town to see Some Are Bent win the Brierly and was delighted with the outcome.

"I'm just rapt for the horse and Steven (Pateman) couldn't have ridden him any better," McLean said.

"He was just ring-rusty at Sandown (when beaten by Mazzacano last month) and I'm just rapt for Robert and the connections. It's so well deserved."

The highest previous weight carried to win the Brierly since 1962 was by Russell who lumped 69.5kg when he won the race for the third time in 1980.

Russell had won the Brierly in 1977 and 1979.

Smerdon said the Brierly was "not a soft lead-up" to the Grand Annual but connections headed by Melbourne Racing Club vice-chairman Mike Symons were keen for the gelding to take his place.

Some Are Bent will drop a kilogram to 70kg in the Grand Annual but would have to set a modern day weight-carrying record as no horse has carried more than 68.5kg since Planet Hollywood carried it to victory in 1999.

"I'll be guided by the horse but he was really bright today. He came here today pushing and shoving and walking over the top of everybody, which he does," Smerdon said.