Six winners for Dylan Dunn

Dylan Dunn rode six of the seven winners at Saturday's meeting at Colac.

Dunn, who only returned to the saddle three months ago after a brief stint working in the media, had six rides at the meeting, and delivered a perfect set.

He opened up with a win in the first race on Humzz (Moshe), then backed that up with a win aboard Campo (Hard Spun {USA} in Race 2. He didn’t ride in Race 3, but then came back to ride the four legs of the quaddie aboard Rosso Antico (Gallo Di Ferro), Mrs Bignell (God's Own), Inastride (Sakhee's Secret {GB) and None Better (Danzero).

The haul surpasses Dunn's previous best haul of four, while it even beats his father Dwayne's best effort of five winners on a day.

Dunn's six winners came for four different trainers, with doubles for Jamie Edwards and Mitchell Freedman.

Double joy for Goldin and Akeed Mofeed

A two-state double for Goldin Farms' Akeed Mofeed has the former Hong Kong star a step or two closer to his first stakes winner.

Lindsay Park is considering plotting a path to the G1 Australian Guineas and even the $5m All-Star Mile with smart Flemington winner Poised To Strike, while Heart Conquered put on a dominant performance for Team Hawkes in a benchmark race at Warwick Farm over 1000m.

Akeed Mofeed, whose oldest crop are three, stands at Goldin Farms' Lindsay Park stud in South Australia and the majority of his progeny in Australia are raced by Goldin.

Sunset Watch, one of his seven winners for the season, was stakes placed during the spring, but the stallion is yet to have a stakes winner.

Poised To Strike was having his first start since July and prevailed by a length over O'Tauto (O'Lonhro), with Wild Vitality (Vital Equine {Ire}) a half-length away third

Co-trainer Hayes suggested Poised To Strike would be entered for both the All-Star Mile and the Australian Guineas, which are held two weeks apart in March.

"He's not very scopey but he's got class and speed," Hayes said. "He missed the spring on purpose and I really think he'll be a contender in the autumn."

"The CS Hayes is a race that is dear to my heart that I haven't been able to win yet and that looks the logical option," Hayes said.

"We've probably got to enter him in The All-Star Mile if he's a Guineas horse and as a Guineas winner he'd be the perfect horse for that race."

Meanwhile, Michael Hawkes said there would be a patient approach to Heart Conquered's development.

“He’s definitely a good sprinter in the making and provided his attitude continues to go the right way, in time he’ll be something in the better races,” he said.

Racing mourns Costello

New Zealand racing is mourning the loss of legendary journalist John Costello, who passed away on Friday morning.

A member of the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame, Costello spent more than 60 years working as a journalist, filing his last column for The Informant only this week.

His career took him from the racing departments at the New Zealand Herald and then the Auckland Star/8 O’Clock, to an author of books such as Galloping Great and Tapestry of Turf, while working for a decade as editor of the New Zealand Racing Annual. Costello’s other roles included the editorship of New Zealand Blood Horse.

In 2016, he was inducted in to the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame and wrote this week of the enjoyment he has had from his career.

“How I have enjoyed writing so many columns for you over the past 60 years in numerous publications. I have been part of the world of racing for that number of years and consider myself the most fortunate of men," he said.

“I have been able to earn a living and raise a family by combining two of my great loves; thoroughbred racing and writing.”

Derby plans for Trusty Lad

Trainer Matt Kropp is making long-term plans for the G1 Queensland Derby for Trusty Lad (NZ) (Reliable Man {GB}) after his win in the Eagle Way Stayers Series Final at Eagle Farm.

Trusty Lad finished strongly to beat Ceol Na Mara (Your Song) by 1.75l with A Man To Match (High Chaparral {Ire}) third in the 2200m race.

Trusty Lad had built to the win with a fourth over 1640m and second over 2000m at his last two starts and the application of blinkers made the difference in his main target race for the campaign.

"Reliable Man has been getting some good stayers. We noticed that a lot of runners down south have gone better with blinkers," Kropp said.

"But we decided to leave them until his grand final for this campaign."

Kropp said he felt the stayer could get to elite level next campaign with the G1 Queensland Derby at the same track in June the long-term plan.

"He hasn't had a lot of luck this campaign but he showed what he could do today," Kropp said.

Trusty Lad was a $180,000 buy for the Toowoomba-based trainer at the NZB Ready To Run Sale.

Etymology breaks through

Etymology (New Approach {Ire}) is headed back to stakes company next start after breaking through for his first metropolitan win at his 27th attempt.

The 6-year-old, twice placed in Group 1 derbies as a 3-year-old, took his record to three wins from 30 starts with a 4.75l win in the Happy Holidays Hcp over 2500m at Flemington on Saturday.

Etymology, who is trained by James Cummings, is expected now get back to black-type level in the $160,000 Listed Bagot Handicap (2800m) at Flemington on New Year's Day.

"He was really impressive today, really genuine," jockey Ben Melham said. "I was looking to come to the outside of the two leaders on straightening, just to get off the inside, but he got a big bump there and had to revert back to the inside."

"It (the bump) really switched him on, he was strong through the line."

Etymology's previous wins came at Pakenham in September 2015 and Moruya in April this year.

Mile on Shoals' radar

Shoals (Fastnet Rock) could be headed towards the $5m All-Star Mile in what is likely to be her final racing campaign.

The 4-year-old mare, a three-time Group 1 winner, returned to Anthony Freedman's Pinecliff stables this week and assistant trainer Sam Freedman said both Shoals and stablemate Santa Ana Lane (Lope De Vega {Ire}) had come back in good shape.

“They look super, they’ve both come back in great order,” Freedman told Racing.com. “There are obviously plenty of options for both horses, both here and abroad."

“For Shoals, we might look to get her out to the 1500m and the mile again so there’s the All-Star Mile, she’ll hold a nomination for that and we might look at something like the Coolmore Legacy up in Sydney."

“There’s also the possibility of her going to Royal Ascot, as there was last year."

Races in Dubai and at Royal Ascot are possibilities for Santa Ana Lane, who claimed the fourth Group 1 of his career in the VRC Sprint Classic at his most recent start.

“Dubai have made contact and they’d like to have Santa Ana Lane up there and if that were to be the case, we’d look at possibly going there and onto Royal Ascot as I believe he’s got an invitation to head there as well,” he said.

However, Freedman said there was also the possibility he would stay in Australia.

“Santa Ana Lane could run in a race like the T.J. Smith (Stakes) up in Sydney and even something like The Everest again next year," he said.