KEY POINTS:
One of the best pacers in the world is about to join the all-conquering Tim Butt stable.
But the good news for rival New Zealand trainers is Mr Feelgood won't be making it to our shores any time soon.
A former winner of one of harness racing's greatest races, the Little Brown Jug, Mr Feelgood has been one of the star free-for-all pacers in the United States this season.
He is rated just behind Mr Big and Artistic Fella among the elite older pacers in North America but has been sold to two Australian owners with a view to a stud career.
But before then he will join Butt and training partner Phil Anderson and be aimed at the second half of the lucrative Australian Grand Circuit races.
A millionaire pacer with a 1:49 winning mile time, Mr Feelgood will go into quarantine next week after being bought for what is believed to be close to $1 million.
Because he won't come out of quarantine until mid-November, he will miss the pre-Christmas racing but will be set for the Interdominion in March and the World Cup of Pacing in Sydney in April.
"It is pretty exciting," said Butt's brother Anthony, who will drive Mr Feelgood. "We have always wanted to get a really top North American pacer down here and this is one of the best. He has raced and beat the best older horses this season."
The Butt brothers have trained good former US pacers before but Mr Feelgood raises the bar again and he brings with him a huge reputation among North America's leading trainers. "Tim has been up in the States this past week checking him out and he was blown away about how positive everybody was about the horse," said Anthony Butt. "And he has great gate speed, which should be a big help down here."
Butt said while it was early days, the stable hoped to bring Mr Feelgood back to New Zealand at the end of the season and campaign here next year.
Meanwhile, Butt's focus will be on stable stalwarts Report For Duty and Tribute when that pair take their next steps toward the New Zealand Cup in their second lead-up race at Addington on Friday.
The pair both needed their last-start outing in the Hannon Memorial at Oamaru nine days ago but are certain to strip much fitter for Friday's feature event.
"They are coming to hand nicely.
"I think Report For Duty is getting close to his peak but Tribute might still need a couple of runs," said Anthony Butt.
Meanwhile, the outstanding North American pacer Somebeachsomewhere equalled the world record for a race mile when he paced 1:46.8 in the US on Saturday.
He is, like New Zealand's own freakish young gun Auckland Reactor, by the sire Mach Three, who has a full book standing in Australasia this season.