Racing: Smerdon hopes for wet Warrnambool track

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Victorian trainer Robert Smerdon says the track condition at Warrnambool on Sunday will be the key to Black And Bent's chances of bouncing back to winning form in the Kevin Lafferty Hurdle.

Black And Bent failed to extend his Australian record sequence of successive wins over the jumps beyond 10 when he ran third behind Gotta Take Care and Wells in the Brendan Dreschler Hurdle at Bendigo last Sunday week. He returns to Warrnambool, the scene of his two Galleywood Hurdle wins, and is likely to face off again against Gotta Take Care in a field also set to include up-and-comer Macedonian.

"Being a quality handicap, he's going to meet some of these horses worse at the weights but the prospect of wet ground enhances his chances," Smerdon said of Black And Bent.

"That seems to be what separates him and Gotta Take Care. When Gotta Take Care is on the good ground he's very hard to beat, but he's not that happy on the heavy which our bloke handles.

"That's where the advantage goes one way or the other."

Leading jumps jockey Steve Pateman continues his association with Black And Bent and also rides star 'chaser Bashboy in the Thackeray Steeplechase.

Smerdon has Kirribilli Gold in the Thackeray and the trainer sent her to Warrnambool two weeks ago for a steeplechase race, which the mare won, to give her experience under race pressure at the unique circuit.

Trainer Peter Moody confirmed Macedonian would be nominated for the Kevin Lafferty Hurdle, having won his first two jumps starts at Sandown and Morphettville.

"He'll improve again but he's going to have to, taking on the guns."

How Macedonian measures up against the more seasoned jumpers on Sunday will determine whether he presses on to the Grand National Hurdle.

- AAP