Anthony Butt and Mr Feelgood celebrate their Shepparton Cup win
The reported king's ransom that was handed over for Mr Feelgood could turn out to be money well spent following the American import’s win in Saturday night’s $50,000 Group 2 Neatline Homes Shepparton Gold Cup.
The Grinfromeartoear entire rocketed to favouritism for the $400,000 Group 1 Hunter Cup on Saturday night, February 7 when he scored a devastating win in the $50,000 Group 2 event at his first standing start attempt.
The Tim Butt-trained star came off 30 metres to score a 1:58.4 track record win in the 2690-metre event.
“It’s great for the owners,” Butt said of the win. “It was a big investment, buying an American horse to race down here is a big thing, and it will be good if we do get a good one because that might mean it happens a bit more often.
“Going into the race we thought the 30 metres might have been a bit too far and we just wanted to get him away and get our (standing start) ticket so he got a run in the Hunter Cup, but the way the race panned out was just great.”
Those that took the remarkable odds - $42.70 on Supertab – about the Little Brown Jug winner would have thought it was great, too.
While Mr Feelgood was out the back with fellow 30-metre marker Changeover, Manwarra Goforgold and I Am Sam were scooting through the first quarter in a slick 29 seconds.
They backed that up with a 30.1-second second split before upping the ante when the backmarkers came with their runs.
The third quarter was covered in a sizzling 27.9 seconds before a 28.9-second final split when Mr Feelgood and I Am Sam settled down to fight out the race.
Mr Feelgood prevailed in a driving go the line, getting home by a half head from the $6 chance with Echuca Cup winner Wideford Hill ($55) filling third spot, six metres away, just ahead of Changeover ($3.80 fav).
“It was good that he got away from the stand and the longer distance proved no problem,” Butt said. “He had to dig deep to beat I Am Sam and if there is any more improvement in him I’d say he’ll turn out a really nice horse.”
Mr Feelgood will back up in next Saturday night’s $125,000 Group 1 PETstock Ballarat Cup, setting up a clash with Divisive, Gotta Go Cullen, Mister Swinger and hometown hero Decorated Jasper.
Saturday night’s other Group 2, the $30,000 Group 2 Cochran Trotters Cup, saw former Kiwi 10-year-old Whatsundermykilt make the most of a return to the front row with an upset win over Ronerail and Sundons Gift.
Lady Belladonna made a one-act affair of the $25,000 The Lombo final for fillies, strolling home by almost 30 metres, while Kamwood Jack turned the tables on Modern Warrior in a thrilling colts and geldings decider.
