Positive signs for Cranbourne trainer Bruce Purcell still in an induced coma at The Alfred

Tough Cranbourne horseman Bruce Purcell, 76, remains in an induced coma at The Alfred but training counterparts hopeful after some “positive signs”.

Bruce Purcell remains in an induced coma. Picture: Herald Sun

“Let me get up, I’ve got to work my horses.”

Cranbourne trainer Bruce Purcell, who remains in an induced coma at The Alfred, barked words to that effect after he regained consciousness last Friday following a racetrack accident.

Australian Trainers’ Association president Robbie Griffiths said 76 year-old Purcell’s reaction epitomised the “tough” career horseman.

Details of the incident are “sketchy” but it is believed Purcell was injured trying to unload a young horse off a truck at Cranbourne racecourse after it “took fright” and “bowled him over” at about 3.55am.

Purcell is in a stable but critical condition, with swelling on the brain and multiple fractures to his body and face. He was flown to The Alfred last Friday.

“It sounds like it’s trampled him,” Griffiths told the Herald Sun.

“It’s a little bit sketchy but that’s what it sounds like has happened and once you get stuck under them you get trampled on all over and his head has copped the brunt of it.

“He’s as tough as they get. He was unconscious for five minutes on Friday morning and when he came to he was abusing everyone saying, ‘let me get up I’ve got to work my horses’.

“He’s just a trainer through and through, that tough spirit is what he needs now, he comes from that mould of tough guys that never stops.”

"He's very critical still. He's got multiple fractures around his head, face and ribs and some bleeding on the brain and all sorts of things... It's a long road ahead and he's still in a critical condition but he's pretty tough, Bruce."

Robbie Griffiths on Bruce Purcell pic.twitter.com/pa6WvKNUw2

— RSN927am (@RSN927) July 14, 2019

Purcell’s wife, Jean, has relayed daily updates to Griffiths about the 76 year-old’s condition.

“There was bleeding on the brain and the experts at The Alfred have kept him in an induced coma so the brain can rest,” Griffiths said.

“It’s very critical but what they’re happy about is when they reduced the sedation there was some positive signs.

“He could feel a bit of pain, so all the sensitivities appear to be working, they were pleased with that and although he’s still in a critical condition and on life support machines they’ve put him back to sleep to give his body a chance to rest.”

Purcell is credited, among others, as a “founding father” of the Cranbourne Training Complex and helping to transform the provincial racetrack into a world class racing and training facility.

His five horses, which include two unraced two year-olds, will be cared for, in the interim, by his “small team” and wife Jean, a former trainer in her own right.

“He pokes about with a small team and he enjoys being what he’s always done, being a trainer,” Griffiths said.

A WorkSafe investigation into the incident remains ongoing.

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Originally published as Positive signs for Cranbourne trainer Bruce Purcell still in an induced coma at The Alfred