Jockey Michael Walker had a choice to make at the 300m mark of Saturday's Eugene Gorman Handicap at Flemington.

His mount Vuelta ($7) was in a winning position but had started to show his inexperience when Walker asked him for his best effort to reel in Roundabout ($5.50), which had just run to the lead.

Walker had to be careful not to ruin the two-year-old's winning chances but a gentler approach helped the David Hayes-trained colt notch his maiden win in the 1400m race.

"I was just a bit worried about him being a bull (colt) that he does tend to play around and think," Walker said.

"When I've gone to go after Luke's one (Roundabout), he half pulled up so I thought I had better stop hitting him because sometimes those bulls, if you hit them too much they go the opposite and really pull up.

"I thought if just (rode) hands and heels, he'll stick his neck out and he did."

Vuelta is a son of the Epsom and Irish Derby winner High Chaparral, which has produced It's A Dundeel, Monaco Consul and Shoot Out to win Derbies in Australia.

Hayes's representative Tom Dabernig says Vuelta could have his next outing over 1600m before a possible spring three-year-old campaign.

"He's a very sound horse with a great constitution. I think he'll make a reasonable spring three-year-old," he said.

The Mark Kavanagh-trained Callahan started as the well-backed $2.20 favourite but faded late to finish third after leading for most of the race.

Callahan's jockey Glen Boss said he did not want the colt to lead but a slow early speed forced him to go to the front.

However, Boss said Callahan was capable of bouncing back from his first defeat.

"I guarantee he's a very good horse this bloke," Boss said.