A wonderful day at Ipswich for Esprit Racing with the amazing last to first victory by the evergreen I Feel Good in the $100K 2150m Winter Stayers Final on their Cup Day.
As James Brown said, “I Feel Good!”
Drawing the outside barrier, the worst possible place to be on such a tight, turning track, the plan was hatched to drop back to the fence as soon as possible and play for luck. With the pace on, Goodie was out the back and some 15 lengths away, but Michael Hellyer surged him forward, and on the turn he was the widest runner and some 8 lengths off them still.
But down the straight he wound up, and in an incredible last 200m he surged and bobbed right on the line to take the victory.
Esprit Racing trainers Sheila Laxon and John Symons pinpointed the Winter Stayers Final after I Feel Good ran second to War Baby in last year’s race, so it was a year in the making and go to plan it did!
While it was I Feel Good’s ninth win, John believes it should be much more. “He ran fourth in an AAMI Vase (2011) at Moonee Valley behind Manawanui as a young horse behind but he missed nearly three years with a tendon problem. He hates wet tracks but we had to start him at Caloundra last Sunday because we missed vital gallopers last week with the rain.”
Symons said I Feel Good might press on to the Listed Caloundra Cup in a fortnight.
“He’s a very good horse on his day and I don’t think he would be out of place,” Symons said.
Winning jockey Michael Hellyer said I Feel Good was a genuine stayer who had chased well in the straight.