A Charlton double for Albert Cefai

It was a case of beginner’s luck for Melbourne based harness racing trainer Albert Cefai when he made the long trek to Charlton for the first time earlier this week.

Cefai, who trains a small team at Rockbank, was forced to look at alternatives for his veteran pacer River Patrol (Live Or Die) and trotter Fling It Rainbow (Fling It) after last week’s Ararat meeting was abandoned due to the HRV heat policy.

Cefai admitted he didn’t know where Charlton was located but he needed to find races for the pair who ‘were both working very good’.

“I had no idea where Charlton was but there were races for both of them up there and I knew they were ready to run big races,” Cefai said.

And Cefai was on the money.

Fling It Rainbow sped straight to the front and his task was made easier after the $1.80 favorite Bullapark Beno galloped its way out of contention at the start.

Evenly rated in the lead by Michael Bellman, Fling It Rainbow ($2.70) was untroubled to score by eight metres from Wistful Lady in a track record mile rate of 2:00.0. for the 1609 metres.

The eight-year-old, who hadn’t won for almost 12 months, is on the verge of passing the $100,000 in stake earnings.

“He was a bit nasty as a two-year-old and it took a lot to break him in but he’s won 13 races and only needs another placing to get to the $100,000,” he said.

Cefai completed his training double when the 13-year-old River Patrol produced a copybook display to Fling It Rainbow when he too led from start to finish in the TAB Pace.

Bellman was allowed a 31.8 second quarter ‘breather’ on River Patrol over the flying mile and the son of Live Or Die only had to reel off a 58.2 last 800 to account for his rivals.

River Patrol has proven a prudent investment for Cefai who outlayed $30,000 landed for the horse from New Zealand seven years ago.

“He’s won $150,000 so he’s been a good money spinner and at home carries on like a two-year-old, so he’ll race on for a while yet,” he said.

The 63-year-old Cefai indicated River Patrol’s retirement may coincide with his own.

“I’m training out of a place at Rockbank which has been sold so I reckon I’ve got about 18 months left there and that might do it for me too,” he said.

For complete race results, click here.

by John Dunne, for Harnesslink