Trainer David Lawlor received a timely tonic in his long running battle with cancer when Noogoora Burr won the Listed Hampden Stakes at Doomben.
Noogoora Burr ($41) powered home to down Sydney visitor Hoss Amor ($2.25 fav) by 1-3/4 lengths in Saturday’s 1200m race.
Lawlor, who trains a small team at Doomben, has battled several bouts of cancer in recent years and is due to visit his doctor next Thursday for an update on his condition.
Lawlor is reluctant to discuss his cancer battle but happy to talk about his horse.
“David is doing well but we’ll know more next Thursday,” his wife Cheryl Lawlor said.
The trainer now plans to aim Noogoora Burr, who is named after a weed in central Queensland, at next month’s Group Two Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) and Group One T J Smith (1600m) at Eagle Farm.
Despite his lengthy odds, Lawlor was always confident the son of Royal Academy could atone for his last start failure in the Listed Ken Russell Memorial (1200m) at the Gold Coast.
“He got flattened two starts back at Eagle Farm and should have run second and then he couldn’t pick his feet up in the mud at the Gold Coast,” Lawlor said.
“This is really good and he’s the best horse I’ve ever trained.”
Trainer John O’Shea was delighted with Hoss Amor’s effort.
“That was a great run and she’ll go to 1350 metres in two weeks then the Sires’ Produce,” O’Shea said.
“I can’t be disappointed with that run. She got softened up in the run and will only improve.
“But you can’t take any credit away from the winner.”
