Jimmy The Bear made amends for his 2023 near-miss with a hard-fought win in the Listed Winter Championship Series Final (1600m) at Flemington.

Beaten as the $2.80 betting favourite last year, the Patrick and Michelle Payne-trained gelding returned two years later to score as the $5 second elect.

Ridden by Billy Egan, Jimmy The Bear overcame barrier 14 and a wide trip to edge out last year’s winner Munhamek ($41) by a head, with Forgot You ($61) a nose away in third.

“He’s just an old marvel,” Michelle Payne said.

“His win last start put the writing on the wall… he doesn’t know how to run a bad race and he fought it out really well.”

Egan, who rode Jimmy in the same race two years ago, praised suspended jockey Tom Prebble for his role in the horse’s form turnaround.

“It was a bit like riding a group winner… just how much everyone in the stable loves this horse,” Egan said.

Ask ChatGPT