The racing career of Black And Bent is over with connections giving up hope of getting the champion jumper back to the track.

Black And Bent's trainer Robert Smerdon said another leg problem had forced the retirement of the eight-year-old on Tuesday.

"He's not lame but there was heat and swelling in his foreleg which showed he was certainly going to go amiss if we kept going with him so we pulled the pin," Smerdon said.

Black And Bent won 14 of his 22 hurdle starts, including a record 10 consecutive victories, and his jumping exploits earned his owners more than $840,000 prize money.

The gelding had enough ability to win seven races on the flat which pushed his earnings to more than $1.1 million.

But Black And Bent's hurdle deeds had a significant effect on jumps racing as the game galloper aided a revival of the sport.

Jumps racing was under threat when Black And Bent began his run of wins in April 2010 and the star hurdler did his part to reignite interest in the industry niche.

"He was a bit of flagship horse for the sport and his half-brother Some Are Bent was a headline act as well," Smerdon said.

"Both he and Some Are Bent were remarkably tough horses. You could aim them at a wall and they would take it on."

Leading jumps jockey Steven Pateman said Black And Bent gave him his greatest memory when the grand performer carried 72kg to victory in last year's Grand National Hurdle, which turned out to be the horse's final start.

Pateman said Black And Bent's intelligence made him a superstar hurdler.

"He was a once in a lifetime horse and was without a doubt the best horse I have ridden," Pateman said.

"He was an extremely intelligent horse, really easy to ride.

"Behind the gates, he used to march around like a heavyweight prize fighter and give you enormous confidence before you rode in a race."