Racing: Stayer coasts to second Banjo victory

The aptly-named Figure Of Speech won his second Banjo Paterson Final at Flemington yesterday.

A gear change and a quick back-up had the desired effect with the Brian Jenkins-trained stayer coasting home for victory in the A$150,000 ($185,100) 2500m feature.

Ridden by Danny Nikolic for the first time, Figure Of Speech had the field covered inside the final 200m and scored from Crabs who charged home from near last and Rowland who was 2 lengths away third.

Jenkins set Figure of Speech for the Banjo Paterson again this campaign and put winkers on him for the first time.

Last year Figure of Speech won the Banjo Paterson seven days after running at Flemington and Jenkins used the same plan again this year.

"This was his target all the way through and it was the first time I have backed him up in seven days this preparation which seems to suit him," Jenkins said.

Nikolic watched tapes of Figure Of Speech's latest runs to get a feel for how best to ride him, mindful that he had a tendency to overrace.

Figure of Speech is owned by New Zealand trainer Ross McCarroll who was at Flemington yesterday.

The event wasn't without incident as a cardboard advertising panel was blown off the mounting yard fence and Figure Of Speech was one of two horses who got free from their handlers.

Figure Of Speech didn't get far but the Peter Morgan-trained Pindarci injured his strapper Jamie Morgan who was taken to Epworth Hospital with an injured elbow and abdominal pain.

Nikolic is embroiled in another controversy after he was accused of "stopping" Trustus in the Winter Championship Final.

The trainers lodged a complaint over Nikolic's tactics on the gelding who finished 10th to Doubtful Jack in the A$200,000 ($246,800) 1600m feature.

- AAP