Barbed was expected to outclass his opposition in Saturday's Brian Crowley Stakes at Randwick but one rival trainer had a handy barometer to suggest otherwise.

Ron Quinton had his suspicions confirmed when Boss Lane, the outsider of the five-horse field at $11, scored a narrow but determined win in the 1200-metre Listed sprint.

"I had another horse run second to Barbed at Canterbury and I didn't think there was too much between him and this bloke," Quinton said.

"We were going into it a bit confident.

"Although Barbed had the form, and I know he knuckled over (after the start), but I wasn't that afraid to have a go."

A last-start second to Golden Rose winner Zoustar at Group Two level, Barbed started a $1.60 favourite but his chances were dealt a blow shortly after the jump when he stumbled and went back to last.

Jockey Christian Reith had no doubt the blunder affected his fourth-placed performance.

"It definitely cost him. He was never comfortable after that," Reith said.

"I tried to get him into a good rhythm but I felt he had trouble stretching out as he normally does."

Boss Lane struck no such bother, camping outside leader Dothraki before getting the better of him and holding on to deny the fast-finishing Mr Jackman ($6.50) by a short half-head.

Quinton revealed he offered winning apprentice Sam Clipperton a few words of advice before the race which almost came back to haunt him.

"We had a talk before the race and I told him it was a long straight and to be patient," Quinton said.

"But I thought he might have overdone it touch for a moment there. I started thinking, `get going mate'."