Trainer Craig Lidster has expressed heartfelt admiration for the "inspirational" Rob Burrow, as the racing community joins in mourning alongside the broader sports world.
Burrow, a renowned England international rugby league player who dedicated his entire career to Leeds Rhinos, faced a diagnosis of motor neurone disease in 2019, following his retirement two years earlier.
Despite his health challenges, Burrow devoted himself to philanthropic endeavours, tirelessly raising over £20 million to support those affected by MND in the future. Among his initiatives was the Rob Burrow Racing Club, a syndicate managed by the Good Racing Company, which directed all profits toward Burrow's cause.
The syndicate owned horses such as Burrow Seven and Beep Beep Burrow, trained by Jedd O’Keeffe, and more recently Macarone, under the care of Lidster in Easingwold, York.
Lidster guided Macarone to two victories last year, notably securing a nursery handicap triumph at Beverley with Burrow and his family in attendance.
The announcement of Burrow's passing at the age of 41 by Leeds Rhinos on Sunday evening prompted an outpouring of condolences from friends, former teammates, and the wider community, including his wife Lindsey and their children Macy, Maya, and Jackson.
“It’s devastating news, my thoughts are with his family, he was just an inspirational man and an inspirational father – it’s a sad loss to the sporting world,” said Lidster.