John Hanrahan was given three years to live nine years ago but defied the odds and is now out to realise a new life ambition at Riverina Paceway on Friday.
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The 80-year-old was going to give the game away but wanted to experience Wagga's new track for himself.
The new harness racing track has been a decade in the making and every time Hanrahan would come in from Coolamon he could see it develop out of nothing.
It was something he didn't want to miss out on.
So last year he decided to retain his licence and keep his two pacers Evanlea and Smokin Tally in work in order to race there.
Friday, at just the fourth meeting on the new Cartwright's Hill circuit, will be the day.
"I'm about finished and these couple of old horses I've got are about finished but I thought I'd like to have one drive on the new track before I give it away," Hanrahan said.
"When I go to Wagga from Coolamon I drive over the hill and I look at that track and I didn't realise they would build it up so high.
"It's pretty good the way they've built it up."
Hanrahan is lucky to be alive let alone still racing.
He had stage four bowel cancer, which spread to his lung and liver, but despite a poor initial prognosis he fought hard to beat it.
Now the only remnants from his battle is a colostomy bag.
Despite turning 80 last July Hanrahan still does everything with his pair of horses including the shoeing.
It's something he just can't seem to walk away from.
"It's a hard game to give away," Hanrahan said.
"It gets in your blood a bit."
He drove his first winner at Leeton in 1960, where he stabled a small team of horses and raced solely there to start off with due no means of transporting them to other surrounding tracks.
Both Evanlea and Smokin Tally are resuming from a spell.
However both have solid trial form at Coolamon and have drawn well in their respective races.
Hanrahan doesn't have any lofty ambitions with either of them.
"They went pretty good at Sunday at Coolamon," he said.
"These days with the times they run I don't think they can run those times but they are looking well.
"One is a bit plump (Evanlea), he's a good eater.
"I always say these days if you can get around without nothing bad happening, any scrimmages or falls, I think that's good."
Evanlea is looking to breakthrough for his first win at start 41, but has been placed on 10 occasions.
Smokin Tally has won two of his 92 starts, plus another 23 placings, but is yet to win for the Coolamon trainer.
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