By ANYA WHITELAW

WHETHER or not Royal Surprise was headed for Group One success at Bendigo on Saturday afternoon Steve Turnbull will never know as The Lagoon trainer-driver was thrown from the gig in the run for home.

In a chaotic closing to the 2150 metres, $301,000 Australasian Breeders Crown Series 11 final for two-year-old colts and geldings, four horses crashed in the straight and drivers tossed from their gigs.

While the Wayne Rattray trained Cody Maverick, who had been aiming for his 10th consecutive victory, had to be destroyed after the incident both Turnbull and Royal Surprise, who didn't completely lose his footing, avoided major injury.

"I spit the dust, I am a bit battered but I am getting old," Turnbull said.

"The horse in the death seat clipped wheels and went down and he collided with the horse inside him and then I went over him.

"We were low flying when it happened, it all happened so quick, one minute it was going good and the next I was in orbit ? I got catapulted.

"All the drivers are okay but just a bit jarred, we were very lucky to come out of it like we did because we were low flying when it happened."

Royal Surprise, a Brioso Hanover x Royal Athlete colt with three wins and six placings from 15 starts prior to the contest, had been shuffled back from a difficult back row draw early on.

When the early leader and $2.30 favourite Living On Fire tired and dropped back Turnbull's $124.30 outsider managed to safely get around his rival and after a 28.1 second third quarter, Royal Surprise made his move.

"I was coming into it nicely, everything was going good. He was about midfield and coming through ? I guess I'll never know if he would have won it," Turnbull said.

With Royal Surprise, Cody Maverick, We Dare To Dream and Franco Newsman all involved in the crash and Living On Fire more than 400 metres off the pace, victory belonged to Cobbity gelding Captain Joy ($3.50, Gavin Lang).

He scored by 7.1m over Garnet River ($14.10, Glenn Hunter) with Ghadasbet ($34.20, Ahmed Taiba) a further 3.3m back in third, the victor having rated a handy 1:59.2.

Earlier in the day there was better luck for Turnbull in the Australasian Breeders Crown two-year-old colts and geldings consolation final as Runaway Red ($7.30) placed third in the $200,000 contest.

The Christian Cullen sired Ohoka Samson ($2.70) rated a quick 1:57.9 to take out the contest by an impressive 11.2m with $2.60 favourite Hilton Fly High second.