Patrick and Michelle Payne enjoyed a red letter day at Flemington on Saturday with their rising star Buccleuch winning the Listed VRC Taj Rossi Series Final and then later in the day stable favourite Jimmy the Bear won the Listed VRC Winter Championship Series Final (1600m).
Jimmy the Bear was a beaten favourite in the same race in 2023, but made amends to score a head win for Billy Egan in a thriller.
A six year-old gelding by former Spendthrift shuttler Jimmy Creed (USA), Jimmy the Bear has been a prolific winner for his owners with 11 wins and 10 placings from 38 starts earning $1.2million.
"He's just an old marvel," said Michelle Payne.
"It was looking a good chance all the way up the straight, but he had to fight for it and just as Jimmy does, he doesn't know how to run a bad race and he fought it out really well.
"I'm sure Patrick's sitting at home with his arms crossed feeling very happy."
Jimym the Bear was retained to race by his breeder and is the best of two winners from two to race from metro winning Street Boss (USA) mare Belvedere Road, whose other winner is a full sister to Jimmy the Bear called Jenny the Beaver!
The family is barren of Black Type until you get to fifth dam, Majestic Belle, a stakes-winner in North America.
Belvedere Road had a colt last spring by Ghaiyyath (IRE) and is in foal to Blue Point (IRE).
Jimmy the Bear is the 24th stakes-winner for Jimmy Creed (USA), who shuttled to Victoria for five seasons and remains on the Spendthrift Farm roster in Kentucky at a fee of US$7,500.
