Jockey Billy Egan is set to partner the Patrick Payne-trained gelding Jimmy The Bear again for the $200,000 Listed Winter Championship final at Flemington this Saturday.
Despite Egan not having ridden Jimmy The Bear extensively during his Winter Championship defence campaign, he will reclaim the ride at a crucial juncture.
This marks the first time Egan has been aboard Jimmy The Bear in 2026. His last association with the horse was in the Kensington Stakes on New Year’s Eve, and he has maintained a keen interest in the gelding’s performances.
“I galloped with him on Tuesday morning at Werribee – Patrick rode him and I rode his stablemate, but he worked good,” Egan commented.
“He’s been going pretty good. I think he’s had a similar lead up with all the races he’s run in, it’s been the same sort of plan as last year, and he’s going well.”
Much like last year, Jimmy The Bear commenced his campaign at Caulfield in early May and completed his Winter Championship preparations in The David Bourke (1620m) at Flemington.
This year saw him have only one additional start before the final, a win over 1600m at Caulfield on May 30, whereas in 2025, he had two runs in between.
The son of Jimmy Creed is assigned 60kg for Saturday’s assignment, a kilogram more than last year. He aims to join Glaneuse as the only horse to win the 1600m race, first run in 1980, in consecutive years.
“He’s pretty highly rated now, so he deserves to carry the weight,” Egan said of the 13-time winner.
“He’s a big horse and he’s proven he can carry the weight.”
Jimmy The Bear drew barrier one for the Winter Championship Final. This contrasts with his younger half-brother and stablemate, Clevor Trever, who will start from the second-widest gate in the 13-horse Silver Bowl Final, which closes the meeting.
The Omaha Beach three-year-old also carries 60kg for his first attempt at 1600m. Egan acknowledges the challenge but believes the colt is up to the task.
“Maybe the weights might be a little bit different for him, because they got so close to him last time and he is getting out to the mile,” he observed.
“He’s probably got a few more obstacles to overcome, but he’s in really good form.”
Egan’s other mounts on Finals Day, both trained by Payne, are Bold Soul in the $150,000 Banjo Paterson Series Final (2600m) and Falset Star in the $175,000 Listed A R Creswick Stakes (1200m).
Check out the latest betting markets for the Winter Championship Final with leading Australian betting sites.
