Rob Burrow MND horse makes promising debut and 'could win a bumper'

Jedd O'Keeffe was delighted with the "super start" made by Beep Beep Burrow and forecast that the horse who races to raise funds and awareness for the fight against motor neurone disease could win a bumper.

The six-year-old runs under the nickname of rugby league legend Rob Burrow, who has been living with MND for three years and whose efforts earned him an award at last month's BBC Sports Personality Of The Year ceremony, recognising outstanding achievement in the face of adversity.

Beep Beep Burrow races for the MND Association and The Rob Burrow 7 Discretionary Trust, which helps Burrow and his family with the costs of living with the disease, and launched his career by finishing fifth in the bumper on the Sky Bet Chase card at Doncaster.

The 7-1 shot under Conor O'Farrell stayed on well up the straight to be beaten 12½ lengths behind Dino Bellagio and O'Keeffe said: "That was a super start. It was a nice introduction, given a lovely ride. He taught him a lot without knocking him about. He finished really well and he'll know an awful lot more now.

"Previously, I wasn't sure he could win a bumper but that may have changed now, he'll improve and I think under the right conditions he could possibly win one."

Beep Beep Burrow is the second horse to race in the Leeds Rhino star's name after Burrow Seven, who was retired due to injury, and his trainer is looking forward to running him again soon.

"He's six now, so he could be out again in three or four weeks, on decent ground," O'Keeffe said. "I think he will stay well. He'll be sharper for that run but he's not a quick horse, so he'll make a stayer."

Burrow himself was just as enthused by the gelding's first run and Phil Hawthorne, of The Good Racing Company, who is behind the fund-raising initiative, said at Doncaster: "That was a promising start and Rob was absolutely overjoyed with it.

"His wife, children, mother, brother-in-law, the whole entourage are here and they've had a fabulous day."

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