Vancouver's little brother Plato made a solid debut but could only manage third while Dwayne Dunn made a winning return to the saddle at Wednesday's Bendigo meeting.
The Mick Price Plato, half-brother to the Golden Slipper winner by Pierro, carried a $1.5 million price tag into the Wellington at Botanical Gardens 2YO Handicap (1100m) after impressing in his Caulfield jumpouts leading up debut.
Plato firmed from $2.90 to start as a $2.20 favourite before finishing three-quarters of a length from the Hawkes Racing-trained Takemehomemister, who firmed from $8 to $6.50 before racing on the pace throughout to beat Evolutionist ($7) by a long neck.
Takemehomemister gave Dunn a win at his first ride back from a 24-meeting suspension for careless riding for his part in a fall at Geelong on May 19, which sidelined Regan Bayliss.
Takemehomemister finished fifth on debut on the Geelong Synthetic track on June 1 before improving quickly win a race Dunn described as a good form reference for the coming weeks.
"He did everything so well in the jumpouts and probably, just being a kid, just let himself down at Geelong," Dunn told Racing Victoria.
"He did lose himself a little bit today and I think there's a lot of maturity to come.
"As a three-year-old 1400m (horse or) miler, I think that's when he'll be at his best.
"I think you'll see that form will stand up and we'll look forward to seeing these horses in the future."
Takemehomemister is a son of Denman that fetched $19,000 at last year's Magic Millions Adelaide sale.
