Stewards were critical of Jonathan Riddell's ride aboard Survived after the gelding finished second to Hawkspur in the Rough Habit Plate at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

Riddell and trainer John Bary were asked by chief steward Wade Birch to explain the tactics for the short-priced favourite who finished second, beaten three lengths, to the Chris Waller-trained Hawkspur ($8).

"I had the expectation, rightly or wrongly, that you would progress to the outside of Hugh Bowman's mount Usainity on the home turn," Birch said.

"But to my surprise you elected to come to the inside where you were held up.

"Had you made the decision to come outside Bowman's heels earlier I believe you could have tested the winner or at the very least finished much closer."

Birch then asked Riddell if his observation was accurate.

"Yep, fair comment," Riddell replied.

"I said to John after the race I should have come to the outside earlier but he hit a bit of a flat spot at the 600 metres and I made the decision to come to the inside of Hugh in an effort to save ground."

After deliberating for several minutes, stewards accepted the explanations of Riddell and Bary.

"You did make an error of judgement and the option you took in our view was the wrong one," Birch told Riddell.

"But it's not to the extent that it offends the rules of racing."

Bary said Survived would not start again before the Group One Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm on June 8 but Waller was non-committal about Hawkspur taking his place in the race.

"We always said he would be the right type of horse for the lead-up races to the Derby," Waller said at Rosehill races.

"If he gets to the Derby it would be a bonus."