King Bernie closing in on record

Cult figure Bernie Winkle will edge ever-closer to rewriting a revered Victorian harness racing record when he steps out at his favorite circuit this afternoon.

The eight-year-old Bendigo trained pacer last week ticked over the half-million-dollar mark in stakes – and today he attempts to win a staggering 34th race at Mildura, the track he’s made his own. See the Mildura fields here.

It’s an incredible record – not only for its numeric value, but for the electrifying spectacle that “Bernie” presents with his lightning last lap sprints around the tight Mildura circuit.

“It’s the way he does it,” says Mildura Harness Racing Club CEO Michelle McGinty.

“His electric sprint has you on the edge of your seat, whether you’re watching here at the track, or at home. It’s waiting for Ellen (Tormey) to press the ‘go’ button and wondering if he’s too far back today,” she said.

“His explosive turn of foot means he very rarely lets you down, though. Some of his final quarters have been incredible.”

A victory at Mildura today will put “Bernie” within one win of a record that’s stood for almost 30 years for most wins at a single Victorian track.

Freakish champion trotter True Roman, trained by Graeme Johannesen, at Sebastian, won 71 races in a 131-start career – and 35 of those victories were at the Melbourne headquarters Moonee Valley.

For Bernie Winkle, the ledger stands at 52 victories from 225 starts – with 33 of his wins amassed at the Mildura circuit. It puts him second on the overall Statewide list, one ahead of another horse from the same barn, Make Mine Cullen, who won 40 of 80 starts, including 29 at Tabcorp Park Melton and Sokyola (Lance Justice), with 29 wins at Moonee Valley.

Prepared at Strathfieldsaye, near Bendigo, by this season’s leading Victorian trainer Julie Douglas, and owned by her parents Eric and Heather Anderson, the Douglas-Anderson stable marvels at what the pacer has been able to achieve.

“Eric and Heather paid $30,000 for him when they brought him out from New Zealand. He’d won three races, but all his starts were in standing start races,” Glenn Douglas said.

“So he was a bit of a risk, but down the track he looks a bit of a bargain now,” he laughed.

“He’s a great little trier. He puts his best foot forward every week and does his best and that’s all you can ask.

“He’s just a fantastic little horse because the way he races, the others always have a chance to beat him. He’s not the type of horse that can just sit outside and buries them – he’s always got to do the chasing.

“Ellen just loves him and it will be great when he breaks the record. Julie is also pretty excited about it, like all of us out here at the stables.”

Bernie Winkle was always a handy horse for the Douglas-Anderson team, but it was when he was sent to Mildura during the COVID-19 regional racing that he seemed to step up to a new level. Whether it was confidence, maturity, time or the lack of a need to travel to race, “Bernie” put together a spectacular string of 10 consecutive wins, earning “cult status” along the way.

“People do just love him and the way he does his work. Often when I’d go to the pub or out somewhere people will call me ‘Bernie’ more than they’d call me Glenn!” Douglas said.

Bernie Winkle’s Australian wins have been in the hands of seven drivers – Ellen Tormey (17), Glenn Douglas (13), Shane Smith (9), Monique Burnett (5), Daryl Douglas (3), Andrew Stenhouse (1) and Josh Duggan (1).

Ellen Tormey, who recently recorded her 700th career win, is so far this season sitting on 76 wins – 15 of which have been in partnership with “Bernie”.

She freely admits driving Bernie Winkle is a thrill and the pacer is up there with some of her favorites.

“I won a lot of races back in the day for my dad with Mister Castleton so he was special, and Well Defined (trained by Kate Hargreaves) is another horse I love, but Bernie is definitely the most pleasurable to drive,” she said.

By Terry Gange for Harnesslink