UK raider Sea King sails into the Melbourne Cup with dominant Bendigo Cup win

Sea King, who travelled to Australia primarily as a galloping partner, is now a genuine Melbourne Cup chance after his runaway win in the Bendigo Cup.

UK raider Sea King has surged into the Melbourne Cup for trainer Harry Eustace with a powerful Bendigo Cup victory on Wednesday.

Sea King travelled strongly throughout the 2400m Group 3, took over approaching the home bend and sustained a strong gallop to the post for a 3¾-length win.

British jockey Hollie Doyle is likely to partner Sea King in the Melbourne Cup at Flemington.

Calls were being made to secure her services immediately after the race.

Sea King has shortened from $51 into $13 with Ladbrokes for the Melbourne Cup.

Eustace, brother of Ciaron Maher’s former training partner David, who won a Melbourne Cup and Cox Plate among a suite of Group 1s before a move to Hong Kong, was thrilled with the result on Wednesday.

UK visitor Sea King destroys his rivals in the Bendigo Cup 👑

Congratulations to @H_Eustace & @decbates 🤝 pic.twitter.com/d5ycejS9FO

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“It’s incredibly exciting. A lot was riding on it, it’s the last win-and-you’re-in for the Cup, so it’s an absolute dream result today,” Eustace said.

“I’d just like to thank (syndicator) Terry (Henderson) … he managed to buy this horse just before Docklands travelled down as well and it’s proving a pretty inspired purchase.

“Curiously, coming down, we never even thought we’d get close and, of course, since we’ve been here the Cup, as everyone is well aware, has really started cutting up.

“So the closer we got to getting in the more pressure there was I suppose.”

Sea King moved to 20th in the Cup order of entry with the win – based on prizemoney won.

A weight penalty for the five-year-old, currently handicapped at 50kg, will be announced on Thursday.

Sea King made a mess of his rivals in the Bendigo Cup. Picture: Brett Holburt/Racing Photos via Getty Images

Sea King, bought only two months ago and travelled to Melbourne primarily as a galloping partner for Cox Plate runner Docklands, has thrived at Werribee International Horse Centre.

“It was never the intention to have him here for the Cup, to be honest,” Henderson said.

“The way he’d trained on and the attrition rate for the Cup has now given him a chance if the handicapper gives him half-a-kilo.

“The stats of his record during track work have been great and great credit to Harry and his team to present him like this today.

“We probably got more confidence out of the fact that he was working with a Group 1 horse and it was terrific to see what the other horse (Docklands) did the other day, but that Ebor form is always good form.”

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Sea King placed sixth in the Ebor Handicap at York in August.

UK import Onesmoothoperator, who won the Geelong Cup last week, finished seventh in the Ebor – a head behind Sea King.

Jockey Declan Bates, booked to ride New Zealand challenger Mahrajaan in the Melbourne Cup, lauded Eustace’s training effort and Sea King’s potential next week.

“You can’t overstate it, it’s hard enough to come all the way down here with a horse you probably know really well, but for him to get a horse that is only new to his care and bring it down (is amazing),” Bates said.

“I said to him in the mounting yard beforehand, he looked a million dollars and he raced accordingly … best of luck to them and I think he’ll be running a massive race.”

Originally published as UK raider Sea King sails into the Melbourne Cup with dominant Bendigo Cup win