Unrealistic added by a rails hugging ride from Cartwright got up in the last couple of strides to defeat Brigadier in a photo-finish with Eschiele filling the minor placing in the feature race on the eight race program. 

Withers said Cartwright rode Unrealistic sensationally to register his fourth victory.

“It was a 100 out of 100 ride by Georgina,” the Warrnambool hobby trainer said.

“She’s got a great understanding of Unrealistic. It was his ninth start for me and Georgina has ridden him in seven of those races.

She was really confident that we would run well before the race. We decided to put Unrealistic to sleep out the back of the field on the fence and the plan came off. She never panicked at any stage.

“She’s a very under-rated jockey.”

Unrealistic’s victory carried plenty of significance for Withers  as he played footy for the   Glenthompson Dunkeld Football Club for nearly ten years.

“It’s unreal to win the Cup,” he said.

“I played footy with Dunkeld from the mid-1990s until 2005 and my sons Sam and David played junior footy there.

"We were living down in Warrnambool but Dunkeld was like a second home to my family. We’ve got lots of friends in Dunkeld so it was a real buzz to win with Unrealistic.

Withers said he was unsure when and where Unrealistic would have his next start.

“He’s only a pony,” he said.

“He’s a restricted class galloper and he’s won an open handicap. Weight is his biggest bug bear because he’s so small but he’s honest.

“We may go to town for a mid-week race or head to the Penshurst Cup on Boxing Day.

Damian Thornton took the riding honours at the once-a-year meeting booting home three winners. He was successful on Barking Spider, Presumptuous and Bassons.