These handicap staying events on a Saturday don’t generally attract huge bets, but one in Queensland did today.
The Adrian Bott-Gai Waterhouse trained NAVY CROSS (I Am Invincible – Watchful) was the one everyone across the nation wanted to be on. The expert tipsters all had him winning too.
Everyone bar the horse himself were confident.
He opened up $3.90 during the week. He started even money fav. And he was gone on the home bend.
The BM 78 Hcp race over 2200m was won by the consistent TOP ORDER ( Top Echelon – Rose Of Destiny) who paid $13. This was his 5th victory from 26 starts and he now has earned $171,000 in prize money.
He came into this race as a last start Eagle Farm winner and he should have been half that quote. But the money just flooded in for the Sydney visitor Navy Cross so those few who backed other runners, got overs.
Navy Cross began well and strode to his customary front spot even extending his lead to be about 5 lengths at one stage.
But by the time they reached the home turn the former Gr 3 place getter at this trip had hoisted the white flag.
They quickly swamped him and Taylor Marshall riding Top Order sent him through along the fence, coming away on the wire to win well.
Navy Cross and the hopes dreams and money of many, many punters was were confetti as he crossed a well-beaten 6th about 7 lengths from the winner.
