Just 24 hours before the race it seemed Bennett was destined to be without a runner in the rich event after his duo Clearly Innocent and All Summer Long battled stone bruises.

All Summer Long was forced to be scratched but Clearly Innocent was given the all clear following a veterinary examination and despite having to wear bar plates he went on to win the feature race in the most incredible of circumstances.

"We're very lucky to have such a good horse in the stables and I'm very lucky to have such good support," Bennett said to the media in his immediate post-race interviews.

"I can't believe how much support I got yesterday. I was pretty down yesterday but the support form inside this industry from fellow trainers and ex-trainers and farriers and just friends was amazing."

Punters had abandoned Clearly Innocent who, following a win in his $100,000 Qualifier at Scone, had been favourite for the Final right up until his health concerns.

After being a better than a $2 chance early in the week, he blew out to $5.50 by the time the race jumped.

Mudgee's Pera Pera, a winner at the Wellington Qualifier last month, produced a fine run and led the field into the straight but not even he could hold off Clearly Innocent, who powered past his rivals to win by two-and-a-half-lengths with Tommy Berry onboard.

"Never," Bennett replied when asked if he ever gave up on his four-year-old.

"I had to give up on one but I never gave up on this bloke. I would have sat up all night with him if I had to.

"Credit to my farrier, my staff and the owner for having faith to leave him with me."

Berry took the horse to the inside as the field spread wide on the track as they rounded the bend for home.

Coming from second last at the turn, Clearly Innocent pulled away to win from Pera Pera ($7), whose Mudgee-based trainer Mack Griffith had said prior to the race he would have been disappointed if his gelding didn't finish top three.

Taree-based galloper Ever So Natural ($21) was third.

Dubbo duo Something Borrowed and Not A Shadow, trained by Justin Stanley and Peter Nestor receptively, failed to figure in the placings.

Something Borrowed ($101) ran home well to finish eighth, while Not A Shadow ($101) was 15th, one spot behind the central west's other representative in the race, the Cameron Crockett-trained Iron Blue ($101).

Clearly Innocent pocketed more then $200,000 for his win while Pera Pera and Griffith scored $88,000 for finishing second.