Life’s a beach for Albert

Good-humored Melbourne-based harness racing trainer Albert Cefai has been spending more and more time at the beach-and for a very good reason.

“Old (11-year-old pacer) River Patrol had a lot of little niggling problems and I started taking him down to the beach now and again for a swim and a walk around in the saltwater,” Cefai said.

“Now I find that I’m spending more and more time down there, not only with River Patrol, but his stablemate Fling It Rainbow comes too.”

While there’s a lot of running about and time involved with the beach work for the hobby trainer who lives in the north western suburb of St Albans, Cefai’s current percentages are evidence it’s paying dividends.

“I’ve got the horses stabled 15 kms away at Rockbank and I train out there. The beach is probably half an hour away, so there’s a fair bit of driving around involved,” he said.

But the semi-retired boilermaker has kicked off the new 2022 season in sensational style with five winners and two placegetters from nine starters.

“I’m only racing two horses at the moment. I’ve been told I’m in the top 10 on the leading trainers’ premiership so that’s a bit of a buzz,” he laughed.

Cefai landed his first-ever training double at Maryborough last Thursday afternoon with both River Patrol (Live Or Die-Lady Patrol NZ) and Fling It Rainbow (Fling It-Rainbow Reflection (Monarchy) successful.

River Patrol led all the way to narrowly win the TAB Long May We Play Pace. Six-year-old square gaiter Fling It Rainbow did likewise to take out the Aldebaran Park Trot.

Both were driven by one of the sport’s busiest freelance drivers Michael Bellman, of Ararat. Bellman also won on Aristocrat Chester (Artiscape-Glory Glory (Badlands Hanover) for trainer Ken Whelan, contributing to his winning Maryborough treble.

And the popular horseman, celebrating his birthday, continued the party at Kilmore that night by guiding Joshua Richard (American Ideal-Taylor Kate (Artsplace) to victory in the J & A Mazzetti Pace Final for trainer Anthony Spiteri.

Cefai said he was only too happy to use Bellman when he was available.

“Mick is a terrific guy. I can get him on our horses most of the time, the only exception being when he’s booked by the top stables,” he said.

Cefai has been involved in harness racing for more than 35 years and says he’s enjoyed every minute of it – but admitted he sometimes harbored thoughts of spending more time with his other passion, fishing.

“I love harness racing but I’m not getting any younger. I sometimes think I’d rather stay in bed! That is probably a while off though – I’ve got at least four other horses due to come back into work,” he said.

By Terry Gange for Harnesslink