KEY POINTS:
Anything but a win will be considered unsatisfactory when former US star pacer Mr Feelgood makes his Australian debut at Bendigo tonight.
That is Kiwi trainer Tim Butt's opinion even though his expensive pacer takes on New Zealand Cup winner Changeover in the A$50,000 ($616,000) Bendigo Cup.
Mr Feelgood is one of the best North American pacers to ever come to this part of the world, having won the Little Brown Jug as a 3-year-old.
Last year he was rated the third or fourth-best aged pacer in the US and was purchased for close to $1 million with the Interdominions in mind.
While he has yet to set a hoof in New Zealand, Mr Feelgood is trained by Butt, with most of the build-up work being done by his brother, Anthony, who drives him tonight.
"Everything has gone perfectly and this looks an ideal starting point for him," said Tim Butt. The way the draws are I'll be disappointed if he doesn't win."
Mr Feelgood showed amazing gate speed in the US and if he can repeat that tonight he should lead, which could leave his new stablemate, Report For Duty, in the trail.
So in that situation who would win?
"I couldn't see Report For Duty running past this horse," says Butt.
The race appears to lack much mid-race pressure, a likely problem for Changeover, who has drawn one on the second line in his lead-up to the Hunter Cup next March.
