BERNIE Winkle's amazing run at Mildura's City Oval Paceway shows no signs of abating.
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The eight-year-old pacer, who was sent north during last year's regional racing period by owner Eric Anderson, but has since returned to Julie Douglas' stable at Strathfieldsaye, on Wednesday night notched up his 18th win from a run of 26 starts at Mildura since April 24 last year.
His latest win made it three-on-the-trot for Bernie Winkle, who was again driven by Ellen Tormey.
The Junortoun-based trainer-driver has been aboard the ultra-consistent gelding in seven of his last eight starts for five wins and two placings.
Such is his liking for the Mildura style of racing, Bernie Winkle has raced elsewhere only once in the last 10 months.
He finished sixth in the Blacks A Fake Free For Al at Tabcorp Park Melton last November.
A stunning Mildura record since April 24 last year reads 18 wins, five seconds and two thirds from 26 starts for prize earnings of $105,840.
Only once in that time has Bernie Winkle been unplaced. On November 28, he finished fifth behind Egodan after racing three-wide without cover throughout.
Eleven of his wins, including 10-straight, were achieved while Bernie Winkle was in the care of Sunraysia trainer Geoff Lucas, while the other seven were for Douglas.
Wednesday night's win contributed to big nights for both trainer and driver.
Douglas notched up a double with Bernie Winkle and the promising five-year-old Im No Outlaw, while Tormey scored a driving treble, including a double for Irymple trainer Scott Garraway aboard Orama and Feelgood Feeling.
Fresh from a second-consecutive country cup win at Terang on Saturday night with Well Defined, Kate Hargreaves trained four winners on the program, while Alex Ashwood scored three wins in the sulky to make it back-to-back trebles at Mildura.
Hargreaves and Ashwood teamed for wins with Redbank Rendezvous, Power Of Faith and the ultra-impressive Tay Tay, while the stable added another winner with Targaryen Hanover, who was driven by Jordan Leedham.
Another successful raid at Mildura ensured Hargreaves and Julie Douglas remained prominent in the race for the state trainer's premiership.
Hargreaves is currently ranked second in the state with 18 winners, while Douglas is sixth on 14.
The team of Anthony Butt and Sonya Smith leads the way with 22.
Tormey is placed seventh on the state driver's premiership with 16 wins and 32 placings.
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