Trainer Mick Price has been pleasantly surprised by the first-up win of Mighty Like at Flemington.

The Caulfield-based horseman was expecting the gelding to need the run in Saturday's Bruce Gadsden Handicap (1200m).

"I thought he was pretty fat in himself but I had to run him somewhere first up and his rating put him in this race," Price said.

On-course punters did not forget to back Mighty Like after his two victories and two second placings in past first-up assignments, firming him from $18 to $14 before his three-quarter-length win over Magnus Reign ($15).

The $2.35 favourite, Voodoo Lad, finished a length away in third.

Price praised the ride of apprentice Beau Mertens, who turned 19 on Friday.

The trainer said it was important to get cover down the Flemington straight 1200m, which Mertens was able to achieve.

"My other horse Yulong Baby (in an earlier race) came out in the wind and Michael Dee said it nearly knocked him off the horse," Price said.

He has no big spring plans for Mighty Like, which was a Listed race winner over 1400m at Caulfield earlier in the year.

"We haven't got ambitions to run him in the real big races but we're just rapt for him to step out for owner Julie Nicholson," Price said.

"If he could pinch another Listed race somewhere at some time, that would about be him but we have to be careful with him when the ground gets a bit firm."

For Mertens, the victory on Mighty Like atoned for his narrow defeat in the Rising Stars Final aboard Khutulun.