Potential star Titch maintained his unbeaten record over the jumps in the J J Houlahan Hurdle at Sandown but the race signalled the end of champion Some Are Bent's career.Some Are Bent ran fifth of the six horses to finish in Sunday's $100,000 feature over 3400 metres and was a shadow of the horse that won over $1 million prize money, $950,488 of it in jumps races.Melbourne Racing Club chairman Mike Symons, the managing part-owner of the nine-year-old, said he would be retired to his Drysdale pr

Potential star Titch maintained his unbeaten record over the jumps in the J J Houlahan Hurdle at Sandown but the race signalled the end of champion Some Are Bent's career.

Some Are Bent ran fifth of the six horses to finish in Sunday's $100,000 feature over 3400 metres and was a shadow of the horse that won over $1 million prize money, $950,488 of it in jumps races.

Melbourne Racing Club chairman Mike Symons, the managing part-owner of the nine-year-old, said he would be retired to his Drysdale property on the Bellarine Peninsula out of Geelong.

"He's retired now. He got around safely and there were no issues and Brad (McLean) looked after him," Symons said.

"He's a light of other days. He looked as though he was going to roll into it but when the pressure came on he just didn't go an inch."

Trainer Robert Smerdon rates Some Are Bent as the best jumper he has trained, even better than Zabenz, winner of the 2002 Grand National Hurdle before later having success in the United States.

"This horse was a scrappy jumper early days but he did become quite a proficient jumper," he said.

"Records are records and his record says he's the best."

The gelding won 14 races, 12 of them over the jumps with his career highlights including the 2007 Grand National Hurdle, 2008 Hiskens Steeplechase, 2007 and 2008 J J Houlahan Hurdle, 2007 Galleywood Hurdle and 2007 Macdonald Steeple.

He carried 71kg to victory in the Brierly Steeple at Warrnambool in May this year, while his last win was in the Tom Corrigan Hurdle in July when he shouldered 70kg.

Prepared by Patrick Payne, Titch ($2.45 fav), was patiently ridden by Steven Pateman and scored by eight lengths from The Member ($31) with Man Of Class ($3.80) third.

Titch has won three from three over the jumps for Payne since being sent over from New Zealand by family friend Kevin Myers.

"Steve rode him really well and special thanks to Kevin Myers for sending him over to me. He's an easy horse to train, he's just coming right," Payne said.

"He's got a mighty leap on him if he needs to and I was really happy with him, he jumped pretty carefully today.

"He chipped in short when he needed to and went long when he had to so he jumped ideally today I thought."

"He'll have a rest now and get ready for the better races next year."