Stitched up Sea King wins again
THE King is back in the building.
Less than 12-months ago, Sea King could have easily lost his life but thanks to yesterday’s $50,000 Awapuni Hurdles victory the popular jumper, with a will to win that is bigger than Texas, is back in the winner’s circle.
Sea King’s 15th win of his jumping career was not his biggest scalp but it will go down as the most satisfying.
His proud owner Rachel Frost summed Sea King up in five simple words: ‘‘He’s a pretty special animal.’’
The champion jumper was fighting for his career following a freak accident in the early stages of the Crisp Steeplechase at Sandown back in August last year.
A horse racing in front of Sea King clipped a section of the running rail which caused a portion of the sharp plastic rail to catapult into the Kiwi jumper’s chest.
The impact dislodged his jockey Steven Pateman and caused a nasty gash in his chest, bigger than the size of an average human fist.
Despite the wound, the lionhearted jumper completed the majority of the 3900m journey.
It could have been worse but the incident, that was no fault of Sea King’s, was a costly one for his ownership team of Frost, Chris O’Reilly and Sue Harty.
The former bred the 10-year-old son of Shinko King.
Racing in the form of his life, Sea King was a $1.30 favourite for the Crisp following his victories in the Mosstrooper and Thackeray Steeplechases.
Frost said the once gaping hole is now just a small scar and a flap of skin.
Sea King came back from the horrific incident with three flat runs before finishing sixth of seven in an open hurdle at Hastings back on May 11. He was pulled up in the final stages of the Waikato Hurdles but looked much more like his old self when finishing third in an open hurdle at Trentham a week before his Awapuni Hurdles victory.
‘‘It’s very satisfying. Not only for what happened last year but also when he was not going any good earlier this season. We thought we were looking at retirement,’’ Frost said.
Sea King’s effort was made more impressive by his 70kg weight but he was helped when race leader Shamal made a mistake at the fourth to last fence.
Jockey Charlie Price was dislodged on landing.
Shamal was travelling well. RACE IMAGES
Jockey Shaun Fannin deflected all the credit to trainer Kevin Myers for Sea King being back to his best.
Frost said no discussions have been held on what happens next for Sea King.
Upper Cut finished second, three lengths behind Sea King, with Justa Charlie, a further two and a half lengths behind, in third.