Lochie Barsby enjoying the ride of his life with Geelong Cup hopeful Matt Loch

Thursday, 10 Apr, 2025,
by Damien Ractliffe

Lochie enjoying the ride of his life

A 10-year-old Barwon Heads student is enjoying the ride of his life with star greyhound Matt Loch, a Geelong Cup contender which he hopes to one day call a family pet.

Matt Loch, trained by Avalon’s Michelle Mallia, carries in part the nickname of Lachlan Barsby, a young boy with cerebral palsy who has fallen in love with the sport of greyhound racing.

Fittingly, as the Victorian greyhound racing industry rallies to support the Royal Children’s Hospital’s Good Friday Appeal, Matt Loch will line up in Friday night’s Geelong Cup Final as one of the top fancies, looking to add to a trophy cabinet that includes last year’s Warrnambool Cup.

Mallia named the greyhound Matt Loch after two of the sport’s biggest fans – Matthew Field, a spina bifida sufferer, and Barsby, who has cerebral palsy. Between Field and Barsby, they are owners-in-kind thanks to Mallia’s generosity, but it’s less about the wins and losses and more about the animal and social interaction that has Barsby enjoying the ride of his life.

“His grandpa has been involved in greyhounds for about 30 years, and we caught up with Michelle – Dad knew her from back in the day – and that’s when she offered a part-share in Matt Loch,” said Lachlan’s father Peter Barsnby.

“That got us involved, so he was pumped. He loves going out there once a month to the farm … he’s obviously got the pictures up on the wall, and for a 10-year-old boy, he shows his carers he loves the greyhounds. He just loves to go out and pat them, they’re such docile animals.

“They sort of know when vulnerable people are around, I think, and Matt Loch is a special thing for him.”

The month is also particularly special for the Barsby family as Greyhound Racing Victoria and its 11 race clubs raise funds for the Good Friday Appeal. Over the years the industry has raised in excess of $367,000 for the Appeal, and have set a target to raise another $56,000 in 2025.

“Early days he was there quite a bit,” Peter Barsby said of the Royal Children’s Hospital.

“First couple of months we were down there in the thick of his challenges early on, around three months of age, so he was in hospital quite a bit there. We’re down there all the time now for speech and other stuff, and we see the neurologist once or twice a year.

“Once you’re in there, you’ve just got that sense of calm that it’s all under control and you’ve got the best treatment.

“Cerebral palsy, it’s a bloody shit disease because one thing triggers another thing. But Lochie’s thriving, where he’s at.”

GRV chair Peita Duncan launched the industry’s fundraising campaign with an initial $10,000 donation on 3AW’s breakfast show with Ross and Russ late last month.

“No one is immune to having to use the Children’s Hospital, so we do everything we can to raise as much money as we can,” Duncan said.

Family activations will surround Friday night’s Geelong Cup at Beckley Park, with free entry, a petting zoo and jumping castle among the activities, with racing to kick off around 7pm.

Damien Ractliffe

A public affairs and communications specialist, working with Greyhound Racing Victoria after a career as an award-winning racing and sport journalist.