On the same day Bashboy reaffirmed himself as the country’s best steeplechaser, champion hurdler Black And Bent’s winning streak came to an end at Bendigo.
Black And Bent claimed an Australian record 10th straight win over jumps in a hurdle at Sandown last month but was no match for Gotta Take Care and Wells in Sunday’s 3200m Brendon Dreschler Hurdle.
His jockey Steve Pateman said the upgrading of the track to dead made it more like a flat race and Black And Bent couldn’t match the other two in the run home.
“It had to end one day,” Pateman said.
“He still ran very well but on top of the ground against those horses it was more like a flat race.”
Pateman also copped a suspension for an incident early in the race and said he would consider an appeal.
Things were much easier for the champion jockey on Bashboy with last season’s Jumper of the Year running out a 12 length winner over Half Moon Rising in the Moss Trooper Steeplechase (3600m).
“I just had to keep him concentrating he was going that easy,” Pateman said.
“I’m thrilled to bits and when the tracks are heavy he will be even more impressive.”
While the firmer ground didn’t favour Black And Bent in the hurdle, it was to the liking of Gotta Take Care who won the feature hurdle for the second successive year.
Trainer Darren Weir said the win was a deserving reward for his staff who work tirelessly on the eight-year-old’s troublesome feet.
“The credit has got to go to my staff and (jockey) John Allen,” Weir said.
“The staff put a lot of work into his feet. They have to be wrapped twice a day and bathed so it’s not easy.
“But the horse is worth doing it for.
“When they got rain and the track was heavy I didn’t think we could beat Black And Bent and Brungle Cry but when it improved it gave us a much better chance.”
Riding honours in the flat races at the Bendigo meeting went to Glen Boss with a treble.
Boss, who has a seemingly unassailable lead in the Melbourne premiership, will undergo minor surgery on a knee this week.
