Health update issued on apprentice jockey Tom Prebble a month after serious fall at Warrnambool

One month after his serious fall at Warrnambool, apprentice jockey Tom Prebble still has no feeling or sensation below the T4 level of his spine.

It is a devastating update for the 23-year-old, the son of Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Brett Prebble and Maree Payne (of the famous Payne family).

The Victorian Jockeys Association issued a statement on Tom on Thursday, revealing there had been “no change” or improvement in his condition since he suffered the spinal cord injury on September 9.

“Speaking with Tom, he has advised that four weeks on from his fall, he has no feeling or sensation below the T4 level of his spine,” VJA chief Matt Hyland said.

Prebble has, however, been transferred from the Austin Hospital’s spinal care unit to the Royal Talbot Rehabilitation Centre in Kew, where he has started intensive rehabilitation.

“With the support of the outstanding team at Talbot, Tom has already learned to transfer from his wheelchair to bed, in and out of a car, and begun working through the many challenges associated with a spinal cord injury,” Hyland said.

He said that surgery to stabilise the T4 fracture in Tom’s spine was successful, but a hard neck brace remained in place for a separate fracture.

That fracture will be closely reviewed in the next few days.

A week after the accident, Prebble himself explained his predicament.

“My key injury is to my spinal cord. At the moment I’ve got nothing happening from the bottom of my rib cage down through my body... currently no feeling or movement,” he said.

“My doctors say it’s now a waiting game over the coming weeks and months to see where things land.

“The message is very clear: to remain fully optimistic re: improvement but also be realistic and that there are a full range of possible outcomes from this injury.”

He said no one actually knew where things would end up in terms of his long-term mobility.

He also revealed the extent of his injuries, which included a fracture to his spine at T5, a fracture to his neck, some rib fractures, minor lung-related issues, and some damage to his teeth.

Hyland said on Thursday that Prebble was greatly appreciative for the care, the concern and messages of support he had received from the racing community.

He is hopeful he will be able to return to home before the end of the year.