Emerging stayer Signoff has earned high praise from Group One-winning jockey Brad Rawiller after spacing his opposition in a distance race at Bendigo.
The Darren Weir-trained four-year-old had won four of his five starts heading into Saturday's Stayers Championship Final (2400m), but Rawiller said it was the first time the son of Authorized had really put a race away when he let down.
"As soon as he gets his rhythm, he feels as good as any horse I've ridden," Rawiller said.
"He travels like a good horse. He still hasn't got there yet, because he hadn't been letting down fully.
"But today was a good step forward."
Rawiller said Signoff still had plenty to learn and praised Weir for taking the gelding through his classes with a view to the future.
"He's a horse that's shown immense ability from the beginning but he (Weir) has been putting him through his grades and basically getting him ready for down the track," Rawiller said.
"Because if you throw them in the deep end a bit early they can take two steps backwards."
Signoff, the $1.85 favourite, won by five lengths over Beliveau ($8.50) with Mariner ($17) third.