Black And Bent Wins Again
- Saturday, 05 June 2010 04:45
Versatile galloper Black And Bent notched up his fifth straight victory after winning the second heat of the Banjo Paterson Series over 2500 metres at Flemington this afternoon.
Trained by Robert Smerdon, Black And Bent travelled nicely just behind the speed for jockey Glen Boss before quickening easily at the 300 metre mark to win comfortably.
Black And Bent ($4.60-$5.50-$4.80 fav) defeated last start Mount Gambier Cup winner Montjeu Madame ($8.50-$10) by a length and three-quarters with Come On Cugat ($4.60-$7-$6.50) ensuring Smerdon’s other runner in the field finished in the placings.
Montjeu Madame finished home solidly with Come On Cugat battling away from its on-pace position.
Oak Heart ($4-$5.50) made up substantial ground from towards the rear of the field after racing wide the entire trip while Tibooburra Travis ($14-$19) gain some admirers with his late-closing sixth.
Smerdon was full of praise for the four-year-old gelding post-race who has won five times over the jumps.
“He’s stepping up from a Wednesday 0-82 to last week he was still a 0-89 and today was the toughest competition he has taken on,” Smerdon said.
“He’s making big steps all the way through and surprising everyone I guess.”
Smerdon revealed that Boss had told him of his intention to ride the horse more forward.
“Before the race, he’d been getting back in his races and Glen (Boss) expressed some concern with the surface of the track.”
“He said it’s racing more like a heavy track with a lot of kickback so he didn’t think they were able to make much ground so I said ‘you do whatever you want to do’.”
Boss, a three-time Melbourne Cup winning jockey, paid Black And Bent the ultimate complement upon returning to scale.
“If I was ever going to have a go at hurdles, he’d be the horse I’d have a go at,” Boss quipped.
“He’s a star, as soon as you get on his back he is so relaxed – he is just so confident in what he’s doing.
“He gave me a lovely ride in the race, he jumped well and put himself into it and switched off,” he added.
Boasting a record of 11 wins and eight placings from 31 starts, Black And Bent has won approximately $390,000 in prizemoney.
Black And Bent will now head towards the $101,000 Australian Hurdle (3400m) at Sandown on June 19 with the $150,000 Banjo Paterson Series Final (2500m) at Flemington on July 10 a possible target later this preparation.
Pictures: Fiona Tomlin
