LAST-start Thackery Steeplechase winner Sea King added a second consecutive feature race win to his resume with a tenacious win in the AUS $100,000 Mosstropper Steeplechase at Bendigo on Sunday.

Ridden by Steven Pateman for Patrick Payne, the Shinko King gelding defied his 70kg top-weight to withhold the challenge of Gold A Plenty and Tom Ryan, who failed to find the extra half-length to turn around the result. Third was Wells with Richard Cully.

“He’s a difficult horse to ride but he’s such a good horse. It was a surprise to many when he won, but it wasn’t a surprise to me,” said Pateman. “It makes you appreciate how good Bashboy was.”

Sea King was second (Crisp Steeple) and then fourth to Bashboy in the Grand National Steeple last year with Pateman hoping connections decide to return to the National this year. The win was Sea King’s second consecutive Mosstropper Steeple.