Salvatore Salutes For Judy After Brush With Death

SALVATORE was brilliant in winning his heat of the Bob Vernon Memorial Maiden (366m) at Capalaba on debut on Sunday, but the real story of the victory was his owner-trainer Judy Gordon.

That's because only 10 days ago, Judy was admitted to intensive care at the Prince Charles Hospital in Brisbane and her doctor informed her family to come urgently to the hospital to "say their goodbyes".

Judy, 84, has battled myelofibrosis for the past seven years but it has not stopped her passion for greyhound racing.

She and son Ben Shepherd, wife Vicky, and their family, bred a SH Avatar litter out of Judy's six-time winner Amaranth Girl and Salvatore is one of those.

Son Ben takes up the story.

"I had to take Vicky to the Prince Charles Hospital to get her gall bladder out," Ben said.

"I was at the hospital with Vicky and then had to head home (to Dakabin on the outskirts of Brisbane) to help do the dogs.

"When I got there mum was shaking and in distress. She was slumped over a heater and gasping for breath."

It is all part of the progression of her cancer. Judy's spleen is enlarged and squashing her lungs making it difficult to get air.

"I took one look at mum and decided she needed to get straight to the hospital," said Ben. "But, I made the decision she might not make it. I went straight to the nearby North Lakes ambulance station.

“When she got to the Prince Charles Hospital the doctor told her if the salbutamol he was putting her on did not work she would pass away.

"He told me to ring the family and get them to the hospital urgently to say their goodbyes."

Ben had his own special words for his mum.

"I told her she had to fight and fight hard because her dog Salvatore was going to be in at Capalaba the following week and she needed to dig deep to see that," said Ben.

By the following Monday, the Monday just gone, Judy was still in intensive care but showing improvement.

"Yes," said Ben. "She certainly was recovering.

"I got a phone call from her in intensive care telling me the dogs needed to be checked over for muscle soreness.

"Then, she rang me a day later and asked what I was doing in the kennels to the dogs.

"We have a camera in the kennels and she was watching everything on her phone from intensive care."

On Wednesday, Judy's doctor advised the family she could head home.

"They can't do anything more for me," Judy told son Ben.

So off home she went and immediately resumed her training duties … or at least giving orders for what she wanted done.

Come Sunday, there was no way Judy Gordon was going to miss seeing Salvatore run on debut in the heats of the feature maiden at Capalaba.

"I took down a chair for her to rest in but she would not sit in it," said Ben. "She said, people will think she is an invalid."

Salvatore began great, led throughout and won easily in 19.65.

"It is like nothing happened to her," said Ben.

"She got really excited when the dog won and she will be at the track next Sunday for the final."

And Judy's reaction to her near death experience … "that's life".

Bob Vernon Memorial Maiden: 1 Hook Me, 2 Salvatore, 3 Weather Report, 4 Pretty Boy Milo, 5 Art Of Deception, 6 Hocking, 7 Any Art, 8 Haggler. Res: 9 Jeckle, 10 Bing Bonus.