He races like a crab but the fighting qualities of Famous Seamus might see him on the path to a Stradbroke Handicap start.

Despite proving a handful for jockey Glen Colless, Famous Seamus, favourite at $4, won the Hinkler Handicap (1200m) by three-quarters of a length from Utah Saints ($13) with River Lad ($7) a half-neck away third.

Colless wanted to secure a position away from the running rail which was regarded as inferior going, but Famous Seamus had other ideas.

"They told me before the race that he has a tendency to hang in so I thought the best option was to be a couple of horses off the fence," he said.

"But he kept wanting to get closer to the rail so in the end I let him race where he was happy and once he was there he relaxed really well."

Colless said although Famous Seamus continued his wayward behaviour in the straight he was confident the gelding would win.

"When I started to get at him in the straight he was racing like a crab but that just seems to be a little trait he has," he said.

"Once he worked to the outside in the straight he finished it off strongly."

The gelding will remain in Queensland for the winter carnival with the Group One Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm in June an option for trainer Noel Mayfield-Smith.

Famous Seamus carries the same colours as Landsighting who won the 2000 Stradbroke for Mayfield-Smith.

"It's best not to bustle him early and if you ride him that way he will get to the line like a bulldog," Mayfield-Smith's wife Emma said.