Mr Feelgood smashes track record

Former Little Brown Jug winner Mr Feelgood (Grinfromeartoear-Best Of Memories) might be nearing retirement, but he looked awesome smashing a long-standing track record at Brisbane’s Albion Park tonight (Saturday).

The pacer, who was transferred from Tim Butt’s stable to Queensland’s Luke McCarthy in March, sat parked outside the leader to win eased-down in a sizzling 1:53.1 mile rate for 1,660 meters.

The time took .2 sec off Home Of Jack’s (Fake Left-Remorseless) track record set on April 30, 2005.

The ease of the win surprised and delighted McCarthy, who is priming Mr Feelgood for a farewell campaign against four-time Inter Dominion champion Blacks A Fake (Fake Left-Colada Hanover) over the next two months.

Mr Feelgood has now raced three times for McCarthy for two wins and a luckless third at Group 1 level in the Len Smith Mile at Menangle on April 26.

“That was his first run since the Len Smith and I really believed he was a run short,” McCarthy said. “To come out, do the work he did in that sort of time and keep going shows what a quality horse he is.

“I brought him back now to get a couple of runs under his belt before Blacks A Fake returns. You’ve got to be at the top of your game to take on ‘Blacky’.”

Mr Feelgood’s career record is now 80 starts for 24 wins, 24 placings and more than $2.25 million.

Blacks A Fake, who hasn’t raced since winning his fourth Inter Dom final on March 7, is close to going to the workouts.

“I’m so thrilled with the way he’s come back again. He’s done his share of serious work and will trial in the next two weeks,” trainer-driver Natalie Rasmussen said.

“He might be turning 10 in a couple of months, but you wouldn’t know it. There’s no reason he hasn’t got another big season ahead of him.”

Rasmussen confirmed her primary focus was another tilt at the Inter Dominion, which is run next April in Christchurch, New Zealand.

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