New Rob Burrow horse ruled out of debut by 'unbelievably unlucky' setback

The debut of Beep Beep Burrow, the new horse raising funds and awareness for Rob Burrow's fight against motor neurone disease, will miss his debut at Doncaster on Tuesday due to a freak setback.

The six-year-old, who takes his name from the fact Burrow was called Beep Beep at Leeds Rhinos, had been due to run in a bumper which had been renamed in his honour.

But trainer Jedd O'Keeffe said: "It's unbelievably unlucky. We found him this morning lame in his box and found a haematoma between his front legs.

"We got the vet immediately and the vet found that he may have had a pin prick with a foreign body, or it might be as simple as an infected hair follicle. I don't think I've ever had one of those ever, never mind on the morning of a race.

"I feel so sorry for all the people who have put in so much effort."

Burrow and his family were due to be at Doncaster to see Beep Beep Burrow run, whose debut should not be delayed for long.

Rob Burrow and Burrow Seven pictured at Jedd O'Keeffe's in 2020Credit: Good Racing Co

"It shouldn't keep him out long at all," O'Keeffe said. "He may be able to race in ten or 12 days once the medication is out of his system. The good news is that he is okay."

Phil Hawthorne of The Good Racing Co, which runs the racing club behind Beep Beep Burrow, said: "We got a call from Jedd this morning but fortunately it's something and nothing, we hope he could be out on January 28 at Doncaster.

"It's unbelievably frustrating. ITV News were sending a crew, so were the BBC and Sky Sports. We were going to get a fair bit of PR from it."

Burrow has been living with motor neurone disease for three years and his efforts to raise awareness of the condition earned him the Helen Rollason award at last month's BBC Sports Personality Of The Year, recognising outstanding achievement in the face of adversity.

His former Leeds Rhinos teammate Kevin Sinfield was also given a special award, acknowledging his epic fundraising on behalf of MND charities.

Fellow ex-Rhino Barrie McDermott also helped set up a racing club behind Burrow Seven, a six-year-old who generated more than £100,000 in membership money as he defied niggling setbacks to finish second in a bumper and third in a novice hurdle from four starts before a further injury forced him into retirement.

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