Bent Breaks Million Dollar Barrier
- Sunday, 11 July 2010 08:08
Some Are Bent took his overall prizemoney tally beyond the $1 million mark after winning the $100,000 Tom Corrigan Hurdle (3550m) at Warrnambool on Sunday.
Leading for the latter two-thirds of the race, Some Are Bent shook off several challenges in the last 700 metres of the race to win.
His determined performance gave trainer Robert Smerdon another feature race win at the country circuit after winning seven races over the Warrnambool May Carnival.
"That was more relief than anything," Smerdon said after the race.
“With the focus on the jumps and with a horse like him everyone is watching him.
“He jumped terrific, he’s much better suited to these fences,” he added.
Jockey Brad McLean registered his tenth win aboard Some Are Bent this afternoon and said the rising nine-year-old had a tendency to be slower out of the gates with increasing age.
“He was a little slow away and in a way it was a blessing in disguise as I just allowed him to relax in that first 1000 metres and then stride forward,” McLean said.
“That’s where he jumps best and he just jumped grouse.
“I think there was only one on the side which he got wrong at the mile and other then that it was just a top effort,” he added.
Lugging 70kg to victory, Some Are Bent fought off Sir Pentire early in the race before holding Sir Pentire’s stablemate Vindicating at bay over the concluding stages.
In a busy finish where the first four horses across the line were within a length of each other, Some Are Bent ($2.50-$3) defeated Vindicating ($11) by 3/4 lengths with Famous Prince ($10-$11) making ground from the rear of the field into third a further short neck away.
Tibooburra Travis ($2.50-$3-$2.60 fav) finished fourth.
“The quality handicap conditions of today’s race sort of favoured him over the others but it was a good effort as he walked out of the gates, which he doesn’t normally do, and didn’t land in his favoured role so he had a little bit of work to get there (the front),” Smerdon said.
“I was happy where he was, he was jumping quite good in behind them and I thought the longer he rests there the better chance he has got.
“It’s been five and a half weeks since he’s been to the races and there’s no substitute for match practise so he should be improved off that to some extent.”
Some Are Bent will now press on towards the $150,000 Grand National Hurdle (4530m) at Sandown on August 15.
In winning today, he joined fellow champion jumpers St. Steven and Karasi as horses that have won over $1 million in prizemoney primarily due to their jumping exploits.
However should Some Are Bent win another $49,500 in prizemoney, he’ll become the only horse to exclusively win $1 million over the jumps in Australia.
In comparison, St. Steven retired with $2 million in prizemoney of which $465,000 was earned in Australia over jumps.
Karasi, winner of the Nakayama Grand Jump on three consecutive occasions between 2005 and 2007, retired with $3.7 million in prizemoney with $224,690 of that earned in Australia over the jumps.
“I know money has gone up with time but if he’s the first horse to pass the $1 million barrier over the jumps, it’s a big achievement for him and its just testament to his longevity I guess.”
Some Are Bent has won 14 races from 61 starts whilst boasting more than a 50% winning record over the jumps.
Pictures: Colin Bull
