BY TOM BARBER | Daily Liberal 30 June 2023

A little more than 12 months ago, Brogan's Creek was fighting for his life in a paddock in Country NSW but fast forward to Monday and Toby Pracey's gelding was in full flight to win the Dubbo RSL Winter Country Classic Final Benchmark 58 Handicap.

Trained at Mudgee by Pracey, Brogan's Creek stormed home late to win Monday's feature race and grab the biggest win of the six-year-olds career.

Now with three career wins to his name from 19 starts, Pracey opened up on just how much the horse had to go through just to survive, let alone be on track.

"It's nice to get a winner, he has a bit of a story about him this horse," he said.

"He was dying, he was left in a paddock starving and whatnot.

"A bloke actually got him and seven horses, he got them for a load of hay and this horse is one of them.

"Lockdown Gamble is another one and I have another one as well, he's done bloody well."

One of two horses for Pracey in the race, the trainer's more outside chance at $16 proved to be the best runner on the day, winning by just under half a length.

The win gave jockey Nick Heywood the first of two victories for the day but Pracey felt his other runner was one to beat.

"I actually thought Feirme Prince was going to be hard to beat," he said.

"I haven't spoken to Kody (Nestor) yet but he has a few screws loose, I think they are actually missing.

"I thought he was the one but every time we put the little underdog horse in he keeps stepping up and keeps trying."

With just seven horses in his stable, Pracey edged out the likes of Clint Lundholm, someone who has more than 50 horses to his name.

After a strong few months of racing, Pracey actually confirmed he was considering giving Brogan's Creek a spell but had already received a lot of calls and texts following the race.

"I don't care how they go as long as they give everything they have," he said.

"That's him, he does that. I said before today we were going to give him a spell after the race, 'win, lost or draw he is going for a spell' I said.

"I still think he might be going for a spell but we will take him home and reassess him."

Elsewhere in the day, Bathurst trainer Dean Mirfin picked up two winners in the final pair of races on Monday.

Mirfin's East Harlem and Kimmylee both won their respective races while Michael and Garry Lunn as well as Lundholm grabbed wins.

Racing will resume in the Central West on Saturday when Nyngan hosts the annual Duck Creek Races before Mudgee holds a meeting on Sunday.