The vagaries of straight racing had many fooled when Eagle Falls won the Salinger Stakes on the inside of the track at Flemington from Turffontein on the opposite fence.Connections of Turffontein were celebrating a Group Two win before the numbers went up with Eagle Falls clearly in front by three-quarters of a length.Eagle Falls' trainer David Hayes said pre-race discussions with Damien Oliver had determined the path the four-year-old would take."Part-owner Andrew Ramsden said the inside was be

The vagaries of straight racing had many fooled when Eagle Falls won the Salinger Stakes on the inside of the track at Flemington from Turffontein on the opposite fence.

Connections of Turffontein were celebrating a Group Two win before the numbers went up with Eagle Falls clearly in front by three-quarters of a length.

Eagle Falls' trainer David Hayes said pre-race discussions with Damien Oliver had determined the path the four-year-old would take.

"Part-owner Andrew Ramsden said the inside was best and that's where we should go and that's how it turned out," Hayes said.

"The inside horses were behind early but then they rallied and got away.

"It's a good day to come second in the Derby and win this race.

"It used to be a Group One and I just don't know why they changed it."

The Hayes-trained Extra Zero ran second to Monaco Consul in the day's feature.

Eagle Falls was sent out at $7.50 with Turffontein at $9 while third placed Absolutelyfabulous was at $10.

Favourite First Command ($2.50) finished fifth.

"He ran a great race but as it turned out we were on the wrong side," Turffontein's trainer Anthony Cummings said.

Eagle Falls underwent a wind operation earlier this year after he finished sixth in the Australian Guineas (1600m) with Hayes now concentrating on sprint races such as Saturday's Group Two 1200 metre dash.

"I really think he has proved he is a Group One horse and the Newmarket Handicap is what we will set him for in the autumn," Hayes said.

"He's a genuine top rate sprinter."

Oliver said Eagle Falls appreciated a fast-run race.

"He really enjoyed a bit of tempo today," he said.

"They were in front on the grandstand side but we picked them up pretty quickly."

Turffontein carried topweight of 57 kilograms, giving the winner 2.5kg, and rider Nash Rawiller said it was a big effort.

"It was a great run with the weight," he said.

"I took a few seconds to make up my mind which way to go."