Hey there PGGG,
I have seen where Gold Hog (actually Doc) has said in the past to ditch the slick plate as un-necessary. I have almost always seen UR used at the head of the mat sequences and that seems to be sort of a "Working Slick Plate" for the following mats.
Sort of the situation where I, too, would like to catch Gold "Right out of the Chute" at the head of the box.
Joe