Racing: Record to Black And Bent

Photo / Thinkstock

Star hurdler Black And Bent raced into history at Sandown yesterday in a triumphant return to jumps racing.

The 7-year-old claimed an Australian record 10th successive victory with a dominant performance in the $100,000 Jack Dow Memorial Hurdle (3300m), his first over jumps in more than a year.

The Robert Smerdon-trained star had shared the record with Lots Of Time for more than 12 months after injuring a tendon for a second time after winning the Galleywood Hurdle at Warrnambool last May.

Black And Bent's winning streak over the hurdles has lasted more than three years, having started with a Sandown hurdle win in April, 2010.

Lots Of Time's nine-win streak came in three months in 1969.

Top jumps jockey Steven Pateman brought Black And Bent, the $1.40 favourite, into the race at the right time and they hit the front before the final hurdle before going on to put nine lengths on runner-up Xaar Best with 1 lengths to Love Or Gold, with New Zealander Dubhdara fourth after being handy all the way.

Smerdon will keep Black And Bent and star young hurdler Brungle Cry apart for their next start but admits they'll have to clash soon. "And then they've got to beat Macedonian."

- AAP