He has never competed at group level and has won just once, in slow time, at Wentworth Park, but King Kinloch remains a cult favourite and a one-of-a-kind greyhound.
Noelene Holloway won the 2016 group one National Derby at Wentworth Park with Magic Spring but there's no doubt King Kinloch, who has won just eight of his 287 races, is her favourite.
When King Kinloch, or "Bingo" as he is known to Noelene, finished second at Ladbrokes Gardens last Friday, it was the 81st time he had filled the position of runner-up.
A further 57 third placings have helped Bingo to lift his earnings to $71,000, and he is likely to collect another cheque when he contests race 12 at Gosford on Tuesday night.
King Kinloch's sole Wentworth Park win was over 520m in a pedestrian-like 30.54 in January, 2019, and he contested his first masters event at The Gardens on April 3, 2021, when he finished … surprise, surprise, second!
"Bingo broke in just okay and the first trainer who had him for me soon gave him back,'' Holloway recalled.
"A second trainer had a crack at him but it wasn't long before he handed Bingo back as well.
"My late mother Joan Singline said I should give the dog away but Bingo had such an amazing personality I was never going to do that so I began training him myself.
"I soon realised Bingo was happier and raced better when I handled him and he knew I would be waiting for him in the catching pen after he raced.
"He is a real one-person dog because he tends to be aggressive with strangers and he has never been comfortable with being hauled up onto the table for his pre-race veterinary examinations.''
King Kinloch turns seven next March and after Tuesday night's Gosford race he will be well on the way to achieving a remarkable milestone of 300 race starts.
Jack Smith, trainer of stars Feral Franky, Jungle Deuce and Palawa King, has drawn boxes one and two with his finalists in the $25,000 to the winner Ladbrokes Zoom Top Maiden Classic at Goulburn next Friday.
Armatree Storm, a litter sister to last Friday's Richmond Cannonball minor placegetter Armatree Cash, led throughout to win her heat in 24.94 and will wear the red rug.
Her Jack Smith-trained kennelmate Irinka Daniel, a 24.91 heat winner, will exit box two.
"People keep telling me the inside boxes are no good at Goulburn but we'll see next week,'' Smith said.
"Armatree Storm so far has been a foolproof beginner although I think Irinka Daniel is capable of the most improvement.
"He missed the kick badly from box one in his heat and he can only get better.''
The Andy Lord-trained fastest heat winner Bandit Bluey, who led throughout from box eight in 24.87, has drawn seven in the final while her kennelmate Black Misery, a 24.93 all the way heat winner, has box eight.
"Bandit Bluey is well boxed in seven and she has plenty of early pace, she can run quick sections,'' Andy Lord said.
"Black Mistery had box four in his heat and while he will run straight from the boxes in the final, he doesn't possess as much early zip as Bandit Bluey.''
