Weather is the winner for Team Cernovskis

The husband-and-wife Cernovskis harness racing team is staying put in sunny Queensland for at least another month.

"It could even be longer if the weather back home doesn't dramatically improve!" Dean laughed.

For the past six weeks, Dean, his wife Rikki and children Lucy and Harry, have been based near Coolangatta with a team of horses after travelling up from their hometown of Gunning, a small rural community, 75kms from Canberra.

A beautiful and historic township, Gunning is also notable for the testing Southern Tablelands winter weather – with an average August top temperature of 13 degrees and typically eight rainy days for the month.

"It was unanimous that Queensland was our home for a bit longer yet after we checked on the weather at home last week-it was snowing, there was sleet and it's real wet. We got told it was terrible," Dean said.

"So, fingers crossed we can keep our horses paying their way and enjoying ourselves," he said.

While the couple's stable has certainly been getting amongst the winners, Dean recently picked up his first Group One win as a driver, when successful at Albion Park with He's Sweet, trained by his friend and fellow NSW visitor John Boserio.

"I landed a metro double at Menangle before coming up and that was pretty cool," Dean said.

"But winning a Group One as a driver was a big thrill," he said.

The Cernovskis family are regular visitors to the Sunshine state for their annual winter campaign.

"The very first year we came north, we won about 20 races, but we had a much bigger team," Dean said.

"This is the sixth year we've been campaigning in the north and we always aim to get about half a dozen wins to keep paying our way.

"I've been keen to relocate up here, but Rikki is reluctant because her family is not far away from us back home, so that's fair enough."

Dean said despite none of his family being involved in the sport, he was mad keen on horses from an early age.

Dean and children Lucy and Harry are happy to be extending the family holiday

"While I loved them, they actually petrified me. I grew up in Moss Vale, and when I was about 12 years old, I'd ride my bike to over to watch them being trained. I was right into rugby league as a teenager, but got my trots drivers licence as soon as I could," he said.

Dean got to know such great horsemen as Merv Thurston and Damian Baxter, who taught him the ropes.

"I also spent a lot of time with Glenn Frost, who won a lot of premierships over the years," he said.

"I did it the hard way, but I didn't care because I was just so keen. I used to ask a lot of questions that's for sure and learn as much as possible."

Dean landed his first winner as a driver at his 12th attempt.

"It was in a heat of the Junee Cup and I drove a horse called Out For Fun for Canberra trainer Lyndsay Woodward who needed a concession driver," he said.

"We went back a week later for the final and it got washed out. But my second win came a week or so later on the same horse at Canberra-however a lean time then followed and I soon came down to earth!"

Dean's wife Rikki, however, comes from a family steeped in harness racing with her father John O'Sullivan being a well-known and respected trainer at Canberra. Two of Rikki's sisters are also involved as keen owners, and one, Kristie, is a registered trainer as well.

"Rikki helps me with the training side and we love that, but she is also a very good driver with nearly 50 winners – the horses really run for her," Dean said.

"When we started a family, Rikki decided to cut back on her driving career for a while," he said.

The Cernovskis couple live on a six-acre property at Gunning, which is between Goulburn and Yass, and train on a 600-metre track at the showgrounds opposite their place.

Dean has trained 18 winners and 15 placings this season. His driving tally is 16 winners and 21 placings.

"I hope we can add to that soon. We only have three going to the races at the moment, but an unraced two-year-old just needs a bit more education and she can go off to the trials and hopefully qualify," he said.

Terry Gange

NewsAlert PR Mildura