The best two horses in the game, the best jockey and two of Australia's finest trainers shared the triumphs at Sandown on Sunday as the positive side of jumps racing scored a victory over the negative.

For sustained power the day belonged to Crisp Steeplechase winner Bashboy; for courage and determination it was Black And Bent in the Grand National Hurdle; for horsemanship Steve Pateman was unsurpassed and in the training ranks it was Ciaron Maher and Robert Smerdon.

Bashboy's repeat of last year's Crisp win confirmed him as the superior steeplechaser in the country and has encouraged his connections to think about testing him internationally.

Trainer Ciaron Maher, who won last week's Grafton Cup with Mr O'Ceirin, said would "have to have a serious think" about overseas alternatives after Bashboy's attempt to win a second Grand National Steeplechase in two weeks.

"I'm open to it, but we'll all talk about it after he's done his job here," Maher said.

Bashboy had to overcome a couple of faulty jumps in the second half of the race before, but Pateman had no serious concerns.

"He just got his revs up and took off out of my hands and made a decent mistake," said jockey Steve Pateman.

"But he's a good horse, he overcame that."

After his mistakes, Bashboy ($1.40 fav) jumped safely over the final two fences going to the line under his own steam to score by 3-1/2 lengths from Cats Fun ($10) with nine lengths to Kirribilli Gold ($10) in third.

Pateman had a more demanding ride aboard Black And Bent, but his persistence matched his horse's as they came from last to win by 1-3/4 lengths and claim their second National.

"The whole race he wasn't really going, but he's just too tough" Pateman said.

"He was always off the bit and I was struggling to stay in contact."

Black And Bent's prospects improved considerably when the favourite Wells fell at the second last, but Pateman said he would have won anyway.

The win was Smerdon's sixth in the race and his most satisfying.

"It's a testament to the horse's determination," Smerdon said.

"I thought his tendon injury a year ago was the last of him, but he's come back and proved us all wrong."

Wells suffered no ill effects from his fall.

A group of around 20 anti-jumps protesters was present outside the racecourse.