Benchmark 56 races rarely feature in fairytales, but for David Dempsey, they may as well be the Melbourne Cup.
Dempsey reckons the replay of Not A Brass Razoo’s (NZ) (Darci Brahma) win in the lowly handicap at Gawler last Wednesday will be on loop in his mind when he takes his last breath.
Unfortunately, that will be soon.
Stricken with terminal cancer and given only weeks to live, the passionate Mt Gambier-based owner paid $4000 for the tried-race mare via Inglis Digital and hoped trainer Peter Hardacre could orchestrate a miracle win in his final days.
“Three years ago, I was diagnosed with cancer and I’m pretty much on my last hurrah now,” Dempsey said.
“I was sitting at home thinking I only have a little bit of time left and I thought to myself that if I bought a horse online, whether Peter would train it and we’d just go halves.
“He was obliging and we came to a gentlemen’s agreement.
“I picked Not A Brass Razoo out because it was in my black book, we bid $4000 and bought her.”
The miracle win, although not entirely unexpected by the stable, means Dempsey will likely die a happy man.
“I bought the horse and three weeks later it has won a race, you wouldn’t dream about how that’s happened,” he said.
“Kudos to Peter for getting her over the line because I didn’t even think she’d be up and racing that quick.
“I was rapt, it brought a tear to me eye.
“I had my two brothers up here, one of my best mates and my partner and we couldn’t believe it.
“I said to Peter that I was happy to just race for the prizemoney and he said that if I could get 10-1, I should have something on it, so I did.”
Not A Brass Razoo will chase another win at Mt Gambier on Sunday week and Dempsey hopes to be trackside for what could be one of his final outings.
Win or lose, he’s just keen to cuddle the mare who has helped put a smile on his face these past few weeks.
“She’s going to come down here on the 26th to Mt Gambier and I’ll definitely be out there, no matter how I do it,” he said.
“I want to go out there and give her a pat.
“I don’t care if she wins or not, she’s done the job now.
“More than likely, I’ve got about three or four months left.
“It’s all getting pretty bad at the moment.
“I see my oncologist next week and I’m going to tell them that I don’t want any more chemo because I’m pretty flat.
“I’ve had a fair go at it.”
