On Song Jimmy Too Good

With the benefit of hindsight, trainer Mark Walker might not have run Jimmy Rea in the Group 3 Singapore Prestige Classic (1400m), but seeing him bounce back to his brilliant best on Friday was the best comforting result he could have hoped for.

Truth be told, the Thewayyouare three-year-old did not disgrace himself with a third to Kiwi Karma in the inaugural three-year-old event on February 22, but his trademark pulverising acceleration in the last 200m went missing on that day.

Almost six weeks have elapsed and the Singapore Guineas hopeful was back to his explosive self when the gap appeared like the parting of the seas in the $100,000 Forest Gold 2005 Stakes, an Open Benchmark 83 race over 1200m at the 300m mark.

Jimmy Rea (Manoel Nunes, on the outside) races past Ghost (Alan Munro) to take out Race 11 on Friday.

Patiently and expertly ridden by Manoel Nunes, Jimmy Rea, who was parked worse than midfield in the race, came with a withering burst of speed when he was finally able to slice through the field at the 200m.

In a few bounds, the even-money favourite caught up with Ghost (Alan Munro) before sticking his neck in front to score in advance of the Leslie Khoo-trained galloper, who was back after a five-month spell, by three-quarter length. Reach For The Sun (Benny Woodworth) plugged on well for third another two lengths away. The winning time was 1min 9.26secs for the 1200m on the Long Course.

Jimmy Rea, who is raced by New Zealander Kevin Hickman of Silent Achiever fame, has now established an imposing record of four wins from six starts for stakes earnings closing in on the $190,000 mark.

That figure is unlikely to swell further at the second Leg of the Singapore Three-Year-Old Chalenge, the Group 2 Singapore Three-Year-Old Classic (1400m) in two weeks' time on April 17, but most probably at another prep run over a similar distance before his main target, the Group 1 Singapore Guineas (1600m) on May 15.

“I probably backed him up too quickly in the 3YO race (Singapore Prestige Classic), but at the weights (54kg), I had to have a go,” said Walker.

“He has come back very well since that run. I will probably skip the second Leg of the 3YO series as it is too close and probably look for another 1400m race for him.”

Nunes gave Jimmy Rea another big wrap, though he said he had not got his tractability down pat yet.

“He's a lovely horse, but he can be a bit fresh at times. The trick is to get him relaxed,” said Nunes who was at a four-timer at his first day from two consecutive suspensions that sidelined him for four weeks, including the one-week due to race cancellation.

“But he was on the Long Course and with only 50kg on his back, I was quite confident.  I am still learning how to ride him, but it's getting better and better. He will get better over more ground and has a good future here.”

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