Apprentice Kirk Matheson departed from the script but still achieved a winning result aboard Vintage Moss in the GOA Billboards Handicap (1200m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

Before the race, Matheson planned to settle close to the speed aboard Vintage Moss but when the gelding dwelt as the gates opened he was forced to switch to plan B.

"When he half missed the start I thought `oh well, there's a lot of speed in the race, we'll just sit back and see what happens'," Matheson said.

Vintage Moss impressed Matheson with his acceleration in the straight.

"I thought geez we're a long way off them but once he got to them I was quiet on him going to the line and he just ran away from them," he said.

"He's been a very nice horse to me and I thought today was one of his better wins."

Stewards asked jockey Larry Cassidy to explain the run of Listen Son who failed to show his usual dash in finishing a lacklustre eighth, beaten more than 10 lengths.

"He got squeezed at the start and baulked at the other runners and I couldn't get him to go from that point," Cassidy said.

"That's just not like him at all. It was my intention to be third on the fence or in the one-one."

Stewards also quizzed the tactics of apprentice Geoff Gould aboard Adebisi who was caught in a speed duel with Rocket To Glory before weakening to finish last.

Chief steward Wade Birch told Gould he erred by persisting with holding the rail position aboard Adebisi while Rocket To Glory raced three-quarters of a length to his outside in the lead.

Birch said the better option for Gould was to ease and take a trail behind Rocket To Glory or move to a position outside that gelding.