The fairy tale racing fans dared not dream 18 months ago became reality at Addington yesterday when back-from-the-dead champion driver Ricky May joined the industry's most elite club.
May reined his 3000th race winner in New Zealand when Sheeza Artist led throughout in race three at Addington, May joining only Tony Herlihy and Maurice McKendry in the 3000 club.
As significant as that number is for May and his legion of fans and friends it is so much more special as many thought we had lost May after a shocking racetrack incident at Omakau in Central Otago in January last year when he slumped out of the sulky and on to the track while leading the Central Otago Cup.
May's heart had stopped after he suffered hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy, a genetic condition that sees the heart muscles thicken even though the heart itself is healthy.
Doctors later told May he was clinically dead for 10 minutes after the incident, brought back to life by the quick actions of fellow driver and trained physiotherapist Ellie Barron, who performed CPR on him until ambulance staff and eventually the rescue helicopter arrived.