Ageless Cootamundra trainer Terry O'Keefe might be 85 and coping with failing vision but his ‘Desire' for training winners has never been greater.
And the emergence of exciting youngster Pigeon's Desire has put a renewed spring in the octogenarian's step.
So much so that O'Keefe and wife Thelma have put up the not for sale sign on Pigeon's Desire after the August '22 son of Fabregas and Every Chance claimed his sixth win from seven starts at Temora last Wednesday.
"There's a few buyers out there for him, but we're not interested in selling him," O'Keefe said after Pigeon's Desire's most recent victory.
"At my bloody age what am I going to do with the money? So we're just going to have a bit of fun with the dog. I don't want to say what we've been offered. I'll keep that between me and the wife (Thelma) at this stage."
On the back of a record-breaking 18.48 trial over Temora's 330m course – the 18.50 benchmark is jointly held by Dana Dennis and Hill Top Jonah – Pigeon's Desire started $1.22 at Temora last start.
The long odds-on favourite looked to be in trouble mid-race, but found a way, as good dogs do, belying his inexperience as he burst to a one-length victory in 18.98.
Pigeon's Desire, named after O'Keefe's brother-in-law, made it six from six at Temora, with his only defeat to date being a close second at Goulburn.
"He's very exciting and we're expecting better things from him later on," said O'Keefe. "He broke the record in the trial and they were probably expecting him to break the record again, but you don't break records every day of the week. He got into a bit of trouble so it was a very good win. We're very pleased with him."
O'Keefe has certainly been no stranger to a good dog throughout his sixty-plus years with the collar and lead.
In recent years the veteran raced the prolific home-bred Spring Gun x Osti's Grace litter that accumulated 111 wins, while back in 1985 he had two Melbourne Cup finalists in Brent's Desire and LittleDesire.
But he says Pigeon's Desire might just be the best.
"We haven't put him over 400m or 500m yet, so we can't say he's the best, but he's probably the best we've had over the sprint at this stage," he said. He's still very young, so I don't want to push him too hard yet."
"The way his times are, he should run 500m. His finishing times are very good."
Pigeon's Desire was the first leg of a kennel and litter double at Temora, with Scarlet's Desire romping to a six-length 18.88 success.
Scarlet's Desire and sister Sophie's Desire, both named after O'Keefe's' great-granddaughters, have notched two wins apiece.
"They're handy Little bitches; they're going to be alright too," O'Keefe said. "Daryl (son) liked the mother (Every Chance) when she was racing, she was a pretty good bitch (25 wins) and he said we should buy some pups from her first litter. We approached Harvey Hugo, who bred them and bought one dog and two bitches. We've also purchased two from Every Chance's second litter to Feral Franky. They will probably do me!"
"I can still see, but I can't see a great deal. But at the moment I'm still getting around alright. I don't want to give the dogs up or otherwise, I'll just be sitting around the house, doing nothing. I've got to do something!"
Pigeon's Desire (box 7) will be out to enhance his unbeaten Temora record on Wednesday afternoon in race 6, again over 330m.
