Robbie Griffiths' decision to keep The Quarterback for the easier of two races achieved the desired result with the talented sprinter storming home to win at Flemington.

Griffiths had The Quarterback nominated for the Group Three Standish Handicap and the Flemington 1840-2015 Handicap on Thursday and opted for the latter.

The Quarterback ($4.20) unleashed an impressive finishing burst, running his last 400m in 21.15sec, to score by half a length over Fab Fevola with Neat Feat 1-1/4 lengths away third.

Fab Fevola and Neat Feat had led on opposite sides of the track as the field split into three sections with The Quarterback coming down the centre of the track with the majority of the field.

The win brought up a winning double for Griffiths after three-year-old Pride Rock showed herself to be a potential black-type filly when winning the Riverside Handicap.

"I thought he wasn't well-weighted in the Standish," Griffiths said.

"He's a gelding and we don't own any of the family so there was really no need for us to have black type with him.

"We want to try to use the ratings system as long as we can.

Thermal Current was a late scratching from the race after trainer Peter Moody contacted stewards and didn't want to take the risk of running the horse.

Steward Robert Cram said Moody was interstate and had spoken to stable staff and they had had horses in adjacent stalls given medication.

Moody was concerned Thermal Current had inadvertently been given a medication.