Caption: Gary Keep, Lock It In and connections after victory at Albion Park recently (Photo: Box 1 Photography)
(Each month Chase puts the spotlight on a person and/or their ‘best friend’ – a story that gives an insight into the true heart of greyhound racing. It showcases all that is good in this sport and is a monthly tribute to much-loved greyhound identity Daryl ‘Albert’ Gleeson.)
By DAVID BRASCH
GARY Keep politely calls him ‘a bastard of a dog’.
The dog’s part-owners, Scott Creevey, Jon and Michelle Walk and Daniel Discombe, thought the adoption program was his future.
Just about everyone had given up on “Lochy” as he is called.
It’s lucky they didn’t.
Now racing as Lock It In, the son of My Redeemer-My Kinloch, made his race debut with a stylish maiden win over 395m by almost four lengths at Albion Park in November and trainer Gary says he is only just getting started.
How they all have changed their tunes.
Scott Creevey went looking for a greyhound to buy 16 months ago and came up with a $2500 pup from NSW breeder Alex Verhagen.
“I’d had a couple of very small interests in some dogs in Victoria without any success,” said Scott.
“I’d mentioned to my uncle Jon about getting into a share of a greyhound, but he was reluctant.
“My former workmate Daniel turned into a greyhound man during an eight-hour work trip to Rockhampton.
“The drive was so long, we had to have something to do and punting on the dogs was it.
“Daniel became so wrapped he has since got Ray and Mary Burman’s old dog Big Boy Bruce as a house pet.”
When Jon’s wife Michelle heard Scott was putting together a syndicate, she talked her husband into joining up.
Fast forward to four months ago when Jon Walk, the former star Brisbane jockey and now trainer of a five-horse stable at Nudgee, was in at Garrards buying some provisions.
“I spotted Gary Keep’s daughter Jackie there and asked her if her father was still training greyhounds,” said Jon.
Locky was being kennelled in a stable with Jon. He was “in a bad way”.
Jon rang Gary and asked him to come and have a look at the dog.
“I didn’t like what I saw and suggested to Jon his best home would be in the adoption program,” said Gary.
By the time Gary got home to Burpengary, his wife Karen had changed his mind.
Locky headed to Burpengary.
“He is the worst kennel dog ever,” said Gary. “He will wreck anything you put in with him.”
Gary sorted him out. He put him into an 80m run, filled up his bedding with straw and watched Locky thrive. He put on five kilos in a few months and Gary decided to start giving him a try.
“He went to Ipswich and trialled 17.40 first up,” said Gary. “Then he went to Albion Park and went 19.34. I told the boys they could have something.”
One thing led to another and when Lock It In made his race debut a confident team of owners and trainer went to The Creek for a bet.
“We had a huge win,” said Scott.
“Yep,” said Jon. “We were all on him.”
Gary Keep says you would not have seen more jubilant owners at a Melbourne Cup presentation.
“I love having these owners,” said Gary. “Consider that Jon is up at 3am to train his own five horses and then still rides trackwork every morning.
“But he was at the trials when I started putting Locky around. He and Michelle have been so excited with the dog.”
Jon says despite being in his mid to late 50s he would be back riding in races tomorrow but for Michelle banning him.
“I’m scaling down my training too,” he said.
The Keep/Walk combination harks back many years.
“Gary did a story on me for Briz 31 many years ago,” said Jon. “I had not been in contact with him since until I saw his daughter Jackie and asked if he was still training greyhounds.
“I’d always thought about getting a dog.
“I suppose our re-connection was meant to happen especially me catching up with Jackie that day at Garrards.”
As Scott Creevey says “it’s a good luck story”.
Gary Keep still trains Lock It In out of that 80m yard and the dog is thriving.
“He will run further than 400 metres and will win more races for sure,” said Gary.
There was a time only a few months ago when no one would have thought that.
