AN EXCEPTIONAL trotting month for the Bendigo region ended on an incredible high at Mildura's City Oval Paceway on Friday night.
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Bendigo drivers combined to claim the honours in seven of the available nine races on the program.
Ellen Tormey led the way with a brilliant treble, while Alex Ashwood ended the night with a double.
Five wins became six when Glenn Douglas struck late in the program with Bernie Winkle, before young reinsman Jayden Brewin boosted the tally to seven by taking out the final race aboard the Scott Rains Heathcote-trained pacer Mizzz Adele.
An eighth win went the way of talented young driver Michelle Phillips, who was until recently based in Bendigo.
A magnificent night for Tormey took flight when she combined with Irymple trainer Alfio Grasso to win the night's second race with $1.80 favourite Safari Rose.
The seven-year-old mare made it back-to-back wins on her home track, following on from her win the previous week, when also driven by the in-form Tormey.
She did not have to wait long to add a second victory, steering home veteran pacer Pat the Pony for South Australian trainer Ross Collins in the very next race.
The nine-year-old gelding was having his 144th race start and was able to break a run of 15 outs since his last win at Globe Deby last November.
A treble would normally be cause enough for celebration, but for Tormey, the feat was made even more special with the third leg coming aboard a horse she trains herself in Sheer Modern.
Like Safari Rose earlier in the night, the five-year-old mare notched back-to-back victories with her success in the Tasco Petroleum Pace Final (Nr 51 to 54).
The daughter of Shadyshark Hanover and Modern Society was given every chance following a dashing drive from Tormey, and took control of the race in the home straight to down the Douglas-trained and driven Elegant Jewel by 5.3 metres, with the $2.20 favourite Headline Act in third.
The treble ensured Tormey finished with seven driving winners for the month in a promising start to the new year.
Just as he started the month with a double at Echuca, Ashwood ended it with a pair of winners.
The former Tasmanian laid the foundations for a good night by guiding home the Kate Hargreaves-trained Dynamite Dozer ($4.40 favourite) in the opening race.
On a good night for favourite backers, with six of nine saluting, Ashwood continued the trend by winning the fourth race on the young Ahmed Taiba-trained colt Major Mal to notch up an early double.
A commanding 20.8 metre win gave Ashwood his eighth driving win of the month, while a bright start to 2020 for Hargreaves yielded a Bendigo region-best seven training wins.
Douglas' win with Bernie Winkle snapped a run of four minor placings on the night on Clarenden Dancer, Popnennies, Ozzie Battler and Elegant Jewel, and followed a third-placed effort for the seven-year-old gelding in last week's Victory Harbor Pacing Cup in South Australia.
Nineteen-year-old Brewin put the seal on an outstanding night for Bendigo racing by steering home Mizzz Adele, who broke through for her first win at start number 12.
An overdue win for the Rains-trained mare gave Brewin his seventh driving success for the month.
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