Sad News: Legend Brett Prebble’s son suffered a horrific accident at Warrnambool when his horse Pulveriser unexpectedly hit his heel, leaving him without any feeling or movement after falling just 700 metres from the finish line

In the heart of Victoria’s rolling countryside, where the thrill of horse racing often dances with the unpredictability of the turf, a family’s world shattered in an instant. On a crisp Tuesday afternoon at Warrnambool Racecourse, 23-year-old apprentice jockey Tom Prebble, son of racing royalty Brett Prebble, experienced a fall that has cast a long shadow over the sport he loves. Riding the Andrew Bobbin-trained gelding Pulveriser in the final race of the day—a 2000-metre BM62 Handicap—Prebble found himself hurtling toward what should have been a routine finish. Instead, disaster struck just 700 metres from the line, when Pulveriser clipped the heels of the horse ahead, sending both tumbling to the ground in a chaotic blur of dust and desperation.

Eyewitnesses described the scene as harrowing. Pulveriser, positioned second-last in a field of 11, had been settling comfortably despite starting from the wide barrier. The six-year-old outsider, a $51 longshot with minor form lines, suddenly faltered, its forelegs buckling under the unexpected contact. Prebble was thrown violently from the saddle, landing with a sickening thud that silenced the grandstand. Paramedics rushed to his side within seconds, their faces etched with concern as they assessed the young rider’s mid-to-upper body injuries. Ambulance Victoria airlifted him from the track to The Alfred Hospital in Melbourne, where he arrived in a serious condition, his future hanging in the balance.

The Prebble name is synonymous with triumph in Australian racing. Tom’s father, Brett, is a living legend, having etched his name into immortality aboard Green Moon in the 2012 Melbourne Cup, one of the sport’s most coveted jewels. With over 1,200 career winners, including victories in the Cox Plate and Caulfield Cup, Brett’s career spanned continents, from the manicured tracks of Flemington to the high-stakes circuits of Hong Kong. He retired just last year, trading silks for a quieter life of track work and family, often sharing early-morning gallops with his son at Dan Meagher’s stable. “We enjoy riding horses; we both love the horse, and doing it together with your son is pretty enjoyable,” Brett once reflected in an interview with Racing.com, a sentiment now laced with unimaginable poignancy.

Tom’s lineage runs even deeper into racing’s storied bloodlines. His mother, Maree Payne, was a accomplished jockey in her own right, navigating the male-dominated world of the saddle with grit and grace. Maree’s sister, Michelle Payne, made history as the first female jockey to win the Melbourne Cup in 2015 aboard Prince of Penzance, a fairy-tale triumph that inspired a generation. Tom’s uncle, Patrick Payne, forms half of the renowned training partnership with Michelle, under whose banner the young apprentice was riding at the time of his accident. It was a family affair in every sense—Tom apprenticed to his aunt and uncle, honing his craft on their stable’s promising runners.

Just months before the fall, Tom’s star was ascending. In July, he clinched the Victorian Apprentices’ Rising Star Series, outpacing rivals like Rose Hammond and Sarah Field to claim the title of the state’s most promising young rider. His breakthrough came even earlier, in June at Flemington, where he notched a rare treble—two of those victories on horses from the Payne yard. With 123 career winners already under his belt, whispers in the weighing room pegged him as the next big talent, a natural successor to his father’s legacy. “He’s got that fire,” a fellow jockey remarked recently. “The way he reads a race, it’s like he’s been doing it for decades.”

But now, those dreams are paused, if not perilously altered. Initial scans revealed a fractured T5 vertebra in his spine, a neck fracture, broken ribs, minor lung complications, and even chipped teeth from the impact. Emergency surgery last week stabilized the spinal injury, but the road ahead is fraught. Tom, speaking publicly for the first time on September 16, shared a raw update via social media that gripped the racing community: “No feeling or movement below my rib cage at the moment.” Strapped into a neck brace for at least three months, he faces an indefinite period of rehabilitation, the kind that tests the soul as much as the body. His parents, Brett and Maree, released an emotional statement on Friday, thanking the “incredible” teams at Ambulance Victoria and The Alfred’s ICU. “Recovery and rehabilitation will take a very long time,” they wrote, their words a quiet plea for privacy amid the outpouring of support.

The outpouring has been swift and heartfelt. Racing Victoria stewards adjourned their inquiry into the incident, pending further evidence, while Pulveriser escaped with only a minor laceration to his near fore elbow and a veterinary clearance required before returning to the track. Tributes flooded in from across the industry: Channel 7’s racing team sent “best wishes” with a broken heart emoji, and VRC chief executive Neil Felgate echoed the sentiment on behalf of the entire fraternity. “Our thoughts and prayers are with Tom, Brett, and Maree,” Felgate said. Even Kerrin McEvoy, another Melbourne Cup winner and Brett’s brother-in-law, reached out privately, underscoring the tight-knit bonds that define this perilous profession.

As Tom lies in intensive care, staring down an uncertain horizon, the accident serves as a stark reminder of horse racing’s double-edged sword. It’s a sport of breathtaking highs—roaring crowds, thundering hooves, the electric surge of crossing the line first—but one shadowed by risks that no amount of skill can fully evade. Jockeys, lightweight warriors perched precariously atop half-ton beasts galloping at 60 kilometers per hour, live with the knowledge that a split-second mishap can upend everything. In Tom’s case, it was a heel clip, an all-too-common occurrence in the frantic straights, amplified by the unforgiving physics of speed and proximity.

Yet amid the sorrow, glimmers of resilience shine through. Tom’s own words, posted from his hospital bed, radiate defiance: “I’m blessed to have two of the best parents and sister anyone could wish for, and they’ve got me through this first week. Remaining positive.” His sister, part of the unyielding family unit, has been a constant presence, as has the extended Payne clan. Brett, ever the stoic champion, has traded his role from mentor to pillar, drawing on decades of facing down pressure to steady his son.

The racing calendar marches on, but for now, eyes are fixed on Melbourne’s premier trauma center. Will Tom return to the saddle? Medical experts caution that spinal injuries like his demand patience—nerve regeneration, if it occurs, is a marathon measured in years, not months. Physiotherapy, psychological support, and sheer willpower will be his allies. Some riders, like Hugh Bowman after his own setbacks, have staged miraculous comebacks; others pivot to training or commentary, their passion undimmed.

For Brett Prebble, this is personal beyond measure. The man who once conquered the Cup now confronts a battle no trophy can salve. In quiet moments, he might recall the joy of those shared track sessions, father and son in sync with the rhythm of galloping hooves. Whatever path Tom forges next, it will be one walked with the unshakeable support of a legacy that refuses to fade. The Prebbles, after all, are bred for endurance. As the sun sets over Warrnambool’s hallowed grounds, the racing world holds its breath—and its heart—for the young rider fighting to feel the wind in his face once more.