When his young son Reece Brandt was extremely ill, making repeated trips to hospital and undergoing numerous operations, his father Adam made him a promise: Get through this horrendous time in his young life and he could have whatever he wanted.
Thankfully young Reece battled bravely and overcame his kidney illness and told his father exactly what he wanted … a greyhound.
That greyhound, along with Reece, Adam, his wife Kristy and their five-year-old daughter Tori, were all at Wentworth Park on Wednesday night, as the now named Lock Master, the dog Reece selected as his reward, made his debut and won his heat of the Ladbrokes Magic Maiden.
“He was a crook little kid there for a while and his dad said you get through this and I will give you anything you want - Disneyland, anything. And he said I want a greyhound,” Lock Master’s trainer Peter Lagogiane said.
“And to see him over there beaming with joy and the family is beaming with joy and it’s a great story for greyhound racing.
“There were two in the litter left, and the little fella (Reece) picked this one and I am so glad he did as he is the fastest maiden I have ever put a lead on. He goes really good this dog.”
Adam & Reece Brandt - Being Interviewed on Sky Racing
Lagogiane has won two Million Dollar Chase grand finals and his emotional celebrations on both occasions have become folklore in the sport, but you could see how touched he was and what the Lock Master win meant for him too.
“I have kids of my own, so stories like this touch your heart,” he said. “For this little fella to come out and want a greyhound - you know … wow! I would rather go to Disneyland, but he wanted a greyhound.
“I think this will be a story told for years to come, and what a wonderful story for our sport.”
Lock Master not only won, he was the fastest of the six heat winners, leading all the way and clocking 30.07s on a rain drenched track.
While many owners and trainers hold dogs back for the rich Magic Maiden series, it wasn’t the case with the winner of the opening heat, Frustrated Fears, which would also be the second fastest qualifier in 30.29s.
The only greyhound in the event who had been to the races previously, finishing well back in a Richmond 400m event in November, the Kayla-Jane COLEMAN trained bitch led from boxrise and gave nothing else a chance, winning from Zipping Decoy.
“It was a bit of a surprise because you just don’t know what to expect with maidens,” she said.
“She’s always shown me that she has ability but I never have dogs that lead. I thought she’d get a bit tired, but she did well.”
On the reason behind the spell since the Richmond run, Kayla-Jane said: “It was just puppy stuff, so she had a spell, and this race just fitted in. I haven’t held her back for it, and she’s probably a run short, but it has just come up at the perfect time.”
Training honours went to Mick Hardman who brought four greyhounds to Wentworth Park on Wednesday night for the heats of the Magic Maiden and all four qualified for next week’s semi-finals. Two of those were heat winners, with sisters Chase Me Honey and Analysing both winning their qualifiers.
Also advancing as placegetters were Springview Magic and Shoes Mistress.
Hardman said Chase Me Honey is actually the “weakest link” in the litter, so considering her performance in leading throughout to win her heat in 30.45s, it clearly says a lot about her littermates.
“She’s the slowest in the litter but she’s got good habits,” Hardman said. “She’s a good beginner and a good railer but she’s our weakest link in the litter.
“She (Analysing who clocked 30.32s in winning) is definitely the strongest in the litter so I was surprised when she led. I couldn’t believe it when the lids opened.
“She’s probably the second best. The brindle dog (Springview Magic) that got beaten, he’s by far the best.
“We put a lot of work into them the last six weeks we gave them a freshen up this week they have been trialling really well around Goulburn, they have had one post to post and a 500m here, but we haven’t held them back. They are only 18 months old so no matter what after this they will go out for a spell.”
The Andy Lord-trained Bandit Ned was at very short odds to win his heat and was expected to jump and run and easily win. But as we all know it doesn’t always turn out that way, and especially with young and inexperienced greyhounds.
He was greener than the rain-sodden grass in the centerfield, but eventually he managed to get it all together and claim victory albeit in 30.83s from Caliente King.
“He had to work hard to get around,” kennel rep Nathan Tetley said. “We were hoping so (to lead and race away) but he had to work and thankfully we got there in the end.
“That’s the big thing, experience, and field experience is the hardest thing to do thesedays, but he’s got some now.”
Trainer David Smith is making a habit of qualifying greyhounds for feature races of late, and he continued that trend on Wednesday night when unraced bitch Cowgirl Ethics won her heat.
Smith had both Cowgirl Ethics and her sister Calamity Ethics in the series, with the former failing to advance to the semi-finals.
“They trialled the same time but I have never trialled them on wet tracks and I think they found it hard to find their feet tonight,” Smith said.
Cowgirl Ethics clocked 30.60s and had 2½ lengths to spare over runner-up Shoes Mistress.
