He’s won the United States’ biggest race and now Mr Feelgood has one of Australia’s biggest features in the bag following a stirring win in last night’s $400,000 Group 1 BIG6 Hunter Cup at Moonee Valley
.
The boom American import, winner of America’s iconic Little Brown Jug in 2006, showed that he was just as adept at the highest level halfway around the world when he claimed the 3065m marathon.
A six-year-old by Australian time, the son of Grinfromeartoear justified the big money paid for him in the second half of last year with his second win from four Australian starts.
His other two runs were a respectable first-up sixth in the Group 2 Bendigo Cup and a narrow second to Mister Swinger in last week’s Group 1 Ballarat Cup.
Winning driver Anthony Butt, brother of Mr Feelgood’s trainer Tim, said the win was among his most satisfying and not just because he became the most successful reinsman in Hunter Cup history.
“It was a big risk buying this horse (from America), it’s never been done before, but the owners backed their judgement and it’s a great thrill to get the job done,” he said.
The result was almost a replica of the Group 2 Shepparton Cup on January 24 – which Mr Feelgood won as a $42 chance – with the “Yank Tank” getting up in the final couple of bounds to pip gutsy Queensland gelding I Am Sam.
Mr Feelgood began safely from his 10m handicap and, just like at his standing start debut at Shepparton, was given time to settle before hitching a ride on Changeover’s back when the Kiwi star lead up the three-wide line a lap out.
As he did two weekends ago, Mr Feelgood ($7.60) peeled four-wide rounding the home bend and took almost every inch of the home straight to reel in I Am Sam but had his head in front when it mattered most.
On the line he had a half neck to spare over the $2.70 favourite with the winner’s stablemate Report For Duty ($59) filling third placing for the second year in a row, just a neck away.
Every quarter was a sub-30-second split, including a 57-second last half of the last mile, for a 1:59.8 mile rate.
Changeover ($5.50), the fourth placegetter at Shepparton, filled that spot again with Mister Swinger ($17) flashing home to grab fifth money.
Butt, whose other Hunter Cup winning drives were aboard Blossom Lady (1994 and 1995) and Mister D G for his brother in 2004, said his fourth victory was possibly the sweetest.
“It’s the fourth time I’ve won it and it seems to get better every time,” he said. “I’ve driven some great horses and this guy is up there with the very best of them.”
To view the Hunter Cup replay with Windows Media Player, click here.
(Australian Harness Racing)