New Zealand duo Sea King and Monarch Chimes stand as the major threat champion jumper Wells’ attempt to make history in the Grand National Steeplechase in Ballarat on Sunday.
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Wells is aiming to be the first four-time winner of the $350,000 jumping classic.
Geelong trainer Kathryn Durden put the final polish on the 11-year-old in a steeple trial at Cranbourne on Monday, with raceday jockey Richard Cully take him to the post more than two lengths clear.
Wells last year joined Bashboy as a three-time Grand National Steeplechase winner and returns to Ballarat after dominating the Mosstrooper Steeplechase at Bendigo on July 22.
Sea King was six lengths back in second on that day, but if any of his rivals is equipped to upset Wells over 4500m it is the Patrick Payne-trained Kiwi raider.
This will be Sea King’s fourth attempt at the Grand National Steeple.
The 12-year-old has been commuting between NZ and Australia since 2014, when he won the Lafferty and Grand National Hurdles in his first two starts this side of the Tasman Sea and then finished third to Bashboy in the Grand National Steeple at Sandown.
Sea King finished fourth to Bashboy again in 2015 when the event moved to Ballarat and then after missing 2016 failed to complete the course last year.
Although Sea King has not won since July last year, his form suggests Payne has him primed to give the Ballarat assignment a real shake.
It would be a special moment if Sea King could win and give Payne could have one of his biggest moments as a trainer in his hometown.
A champion jockey on the flat, Payne turned to jumps riding towards the end of his career – winning at his first ride over the hurdles in Ballarat in 2005 on Sweet Shani, which was trained by his sister Therese Patton.
Monarch Chimes scored in his first Australian start at Pakenham in April this year and after a third in the Brierly Steeple and fourth in the Grand Annual Steeple over the Warrnambool May Carnival returned to New Zeland.
Cambridge training partnership Emma-Lee and David Browne gave him two runs at home before returning to Australia. He has had two starts for a win at Sandown and third in the Crisp.
Ballarat Turf Club has attracted 14 nominations for the Grand National, which headlines an all-jumps six-race card.
Entries: Abebe (Trainer Eric Musgrove), Entirely Perfect (Bryce Stanaway), Excellent Rhythm (Rachael Cunningham), Gold a Plenty (Terry and Karina O'Sullivan), I’ll’ava’alf (Patrick F Ryan), John Monash (Patrick F Ryan), Mannertone (Anne McGrath), Monarch Chimes (Emma-Lee and David Browne), Sea King (Patrick Payne), Spying on You (Grant Young), Surging Wave (David and Ben Hayes/Tom Dabernig), Undergroundfighter (Tony Rosolini), Wells (Kathryn Durden), Zuhayr (Amy McDonald)
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