Doncaster To Unpainted

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31654, 15 April 1968, Page 5

Doncaster To Unpainted

(N.Z. Press Assn,—Copy right) SYDNEY,

The New Zealand mare, Unpainted, won the Doncaster Handicap, at Randwick on Saturday. she came home fast to beat the well-backed local horses Cabochon and Shakedown. Unpainted’s handsome win relieved bookmakers of huge commitments on the DoncasterSydney Cup double. Had one of half a dozen other horses won the Doncaster, bookmakers would have stood to lose a fortune as they had been coupled with the even-money favourite, General Command, in the Sydney Cup today. Cabochon gained second from Shakedown which was a long bead away.

The winning time of 1:34 7-10 was only a fraction outside the Australian and race record time of 1:34 1-5 set by Fine And Dandy when he won this race in 1961.

The owner, Mr C. M. Taylor decided only in January to set Unpainted for the Doncaster, after a conference in New Zealand with the Sydney trainer, T. J. Smith, who was over there for the yearling sales. Mr Taylor admitted that he had not given Unpainted a “dog's chance” when she was so far back at the half-mile Her apprentice jockey, S. Spinks, who rode Unpainted, said later she had come home like a rocket in the straight.

“I have never been on a horse who finished so fast before.” he said. “Unpainted is the best horse I have ridden, and this is my most important win.” Unpainted was one of five horses which Smith saddled up in the race but was the least fancied of the five.