A big crowd of owners made plenty of noise at Bendigo last Sunday when the Allen Browell-trained $3.40 favourite Our Sevira notched her fourth victory.
The race was a tooth-and-nail battle from the get-go with fellow local galloper Vungers ($11 to $9), trained by Brendon Hearps and starting from an adjacent barrier. 
The duo made the running with Yendall opting to take the trail on Our Sevira, who wore down her challenger in the final bounds, to the relief of favourite backers.
“With the 61 kilograms it made it a tough ask but she was good enough to do it,” said Val Browell, representing her husband’s stable.
Our Sevira, a daughter of Magnus, was having her fourth run this campaign.
She is raced by a host of locals who have now picked up $65,135 in stake earnings from the four-year-old’s four wins and four placings.
Browell, who only has a small team in work these days, has high hopes for another of the Magnus progeny in his hands. 
Star Hills, an unraced two-year-old gelding, is out of the stable’s seven-time winner Two Hills.
Bernara a beauty
Shane Fliedner never shies away from a road trip and Monday’s eight-hour return trip to Mildura was rewarded with a smart victory from Bernara at just his second start.
The lightly raced four-year-old was able to hold off the challenge of race favourite Going Purple with a burst of acceleration at the top of the straight. 
The victory came 11 days after a promising debut third at Swan Hill and rider Damien Thornton sees a promising future.
“He really picked up and quickened like a nice horse, even though he’s still green and wanted to do a few things wrong,” Thornton said.
Mildura horseman and long-time Fliedner friend Brian Broadstock bred and races the son of Old Deuteronomy. Broadstock trained Bernara’s dam, Day at the Races, to two victories.
It was the 15th win of the season for Fliedner, who is three clear of nearest rival Kym Hann in race for the Bendigo trainers title.
Howl again
The Brent Stanley-trained Let ’em Howl ($5)made it two wins on the trot when she led from barrier to box to claim last Thursday’s 1450-metre benchmark 58 at Kilmore.
Apprentice Brooke Sweeney was having her first ride for Sutton Grange-based Stanley and made every post a winner aboard the Northern Meteor filly, who cost $70,000 at the 2015 Gold Coast Magic Millions sale.
Cooley breaks drought
Paul Banks made it a double for Sutton Grange trainers on the Kilmore program when stable stalwart Mr Cooley ($5.50 favourite) notched his 11th victory.
Winning for the first time since February 2016, the rising eight-year-old showed he still had his dash, settling just behind the leaders and notching a comfortable 1½-length win from Bagrat Bullet.
The win was rider Kassie Furness’s third aboard the son of Estambul, who now has stakes of $127,818. 
The Banks/Furness combination almost pulled off an upset on their home track (Bendigo) last Sunday when $31 outsider Jack Henry was a narrow second placegetter.
Head up for the cup
The popular riverside town of Echuca, an hour’s drive north of Bendigo, hosts Victoria’s only meeting this Sunday, highlighted by the $100,000 Echuca Cup (1400m).
The nine-race program is sure to attract a strong crowd, with general admission $15.