DONCASTER TO CITIUS

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31031, 11 April 1966, Page 10

DONCASTER TO CITIUS

(Special Correspondent N.Z.P.A.) SYDNEY. The Victorian filly, Citius, defied the experts and overcame a difficult barrier draw and a jinx on three-year-old fillies to win the £16,000 Doncaster Handicap over a mile at Randwick on Saturday.

Citius, which started at 16/1, won by three-quarters of a length from Castanea (40/1), with Bowl King (7/1) half a length away third. The disappointment of the race was the New Zealandbred Rakaia, regarded by many as a certainty. He started a heavily-backed 5-2 favourite, but could finish only 11th.

Citius was the only horse of the 18 starters to carry more than weight-for-age, and had the outside barrier draw. Her win was the first by a three-year-old filly in the Doncaster Handicap for 40 years.

Apa Disappoints Having his third start in Australia, the New Zealander, Apa. again disappointed when he beat only one runner home

in the one mile and a hall Autumn Stakes.

The Auckland Cup winner has failed to show the form he displayed in New Zealand, and does not figure seriously in betting for the two-mile Sydney Cup—his main Australian mission. • The Autumn Stakes was won by Craftsman (7 to 4 on favourite), which beat Versailles (7 to 1) by two lengths and a half, with the Sydney Cup second favourite, Striking Force (7 to 2), a length and threequarters away third. Result:— A.J.C. DONCASTER HANDICAP, ENZ16.250; Im.— CITIUS (Star Kingdom—Rich and Rare) 8-8 G. Moore 1; CASTANEA (Persian Book—Spring Frolic) 8-10 C. Clare 2; BOWL KING (Pirate King—Doubtless 8-12 J. Johnson 3. Eighteen started. Threequarters of a length; half a length. Time, 1:34 4-5. Betting: 16 to 1, 40 to 1, 7 to 1. Rakata 5 to 2 favourite.