Durendal's Standish Handicap win at Flemington has capped a red letter day for training partners Mathew Ellerton and Simon Zahra at Flemington.

The Ellerton-Zahra stable has been racking up the winners in the recent weeks and things got even better on the first day of the new year with Durendal's strong win in the Group Three feature bringing up the team's fourth victory at the meeting.

The stable had already prepared Want To Rock, Magna Rossa and Rough Justice to win races on Friday at their home track before Durendal powered to a three-quarter length win in the $150,000 Standish (1200m).

Ellerton said it was the first time in his career he'd trained a quartet of winners on a program.

"It's satisfying," Ellerton said.

"We made a conscious decision in May-June that we had no spring horses so we had eight Saturdays where we sat at home and we just said `let's just concentrate on the summer'.

"That's what you have to do.

"If you haven't got the stock, there's no point running a creditable sixth or seventh or whatever."

Durendal emulated his elder half-brother Flamberge who won the Standish two years ago.

Four-year-old Durendal was sent out the $2.70 favourite after back-to-back wins at Ballarat and Flemington, and jockey Damian Lane always had the gelding in a position to strike on speed.

Durendal was left in front when leader Decircles started to weaken but the four-year-old kept going to beat Zupacharged ($20) with a short head to Churchill Dancer ($9.50) third.

While delighted with the performance of Durendal who has kept raising the bar this campaign, Ellerton wasn't getting carried away after the race.

"This was his grand final," Ellerton said.

"He probably goes to the paddock in the morning."

Lane said Durendal's greatest asset was versatility.

"When they weren't going hard I let him stride up to the girth of Decircles, and he was too good for them," Lane said.

Katelyn Mallyon, fresh from outriding her claim on Wednesday, guided two-year-old filly Want To Rock to a determined win on debut in the New Year Plate (1000m) and also won on three-year-old Magna Rossa.

Lane steered four-year-old Rough Justice to a half-neck success in the Red Tempo Handicap (1000m) and added the Standish on Durendal.

The in-form Lane was delighted to play his part in Ellerton and Zahra's successful day.

"They've had a massive six weeks. They've been flying and they deserve a day like today," Lane said.