$116 Boilover In Gardens Red Dog Final

IT's fair to say High Expectation went to Ladbrokes Gardens on Friday with no expectation.

The fashionably bred son of Fernando Bale and Queen Esther got the late call-up to contest the 515 metre Ladbrokes Red Dog Final following the scratching of box eight runner Save The Date.

Worth $4,500 to-the-winner, the final assembled some of New South Wales' brightest young chasers, including Aston Lee, a recent winner at the track in 29.17, and the immensely talented Xerri, a 29.39 victor at the circuit.

Only adding to the depth of the finale were heat winners Arctic Kingdom and Promising, running 29.51 and 29.54 to land their respective qualifiers last week.

Going into a race with such star power, even High Expectation's breeder-owner-trainer Noelene Holloway would have conceded she was in all likelihood making up the numbers.

Betting suggested the same, considered the rank outsider in markets.

But as Holloway described post race, "miracles do happen", with High Expectation landing the final, paying a whopping $116 on NSW TAB.

It was expected it would take a 29.30 run at worst to land the high caliber final.

High Expectation managed to get the job done in a modest 30 seconds flat.

Winner at just one of his 12 starts going into Friday's contest, High Expectation landed the race by a length over Promising with Arctic Kingdom the same margin away in third.

And while Friday's stellar win would still sit well behind Magic Spring's 2016 Group 1 National Derby triumph for Holloway, it wouldn't be any less rewarding, nor would it be for those courageous enough to take some of the $116 on offer.