SLIPPIN' JIMMY SLIDES IN FOR A SECOND CAREER WIN

By Graham Potter | Friday, May 3, 2024

The lightly raced three-year-old chestnut gelding Slippin’ Jimmy added to his winning resume when he saluted in a Three-Year-Old BM60 Handicap over 1200m at Kilcoy on May 3.

It was the son of Pariah’s second career success in only five starts and it served as much as a confidence and an experience building exercise as it did as a winning result.

The David Vandyke trained runner had kicked off his career with a promising enough runner-up finish on debut back in November 2023 before finishing fourth in his second start.

Both of those starts were over 1000m and he started around the $8 mark on both of those occasions.

Slippin’ Jimmy then stepped up to a more suitable 1200m trip and punters didn’t miss him. He started favourite at $1.30 and his followers never had any moment of concern as he strolled in by a 4.50 length margin.

With that mission of gaining that first win accomplished, Vandyke put Slippin’ Jimmy out and gave him a three-and-a-half month break away from race action.

The similar pattern was in play in Slippin’ Jimmy’s second preparation, except he found the winners’ enclosure again quicker this time.

He resumed over 1000m at odds of $5 and finished unplaced ... and then Vandyke once again initiated the step up to 1200m for this Kilcoy assignment, where Slippin’ Jimmy started a clear favourite at $2.20 and duly did enough to gain a winning result, meaning that he has won both times he has started favourite.

Ryan Wiggins jumped Slippin’ Jimmy into an immediate lead, but the speed soon went around him and Wiggins then settled Slippin’ Jimmy in third spot, two lengths off Surreal Ascot ($6.50) who led the pack.

Slippin’ Jimmy was up to second place and chasing hard now in the sweep to the home turn as Surreal Ascot threatened to slip away at the head of affairs.

On straightening, it became a straight two horse race with the question being whether Surreal Ascot, was still galloping freely, could maintain his advantage ... or whether Slippin’ Jimmy could lift and run down the long-time leader.

As things turned out, Wiggins rallied Slippin’ Jimmy late, getting that vital extra effort out of his mount to be able to finish over the top of the game Surreal Ascot over the concluding stages.

The winning margin was 0.50 lengths.

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