Beautiful Moment: Melbourne Cup Star James McDonald Makes Incredible Promise to Young Apprentice Jockey Who Is Wheelchair-Bound and Has No Feeling Below the Chest After a Horrific Fall During a Race at Warrnambool in September That Left Fans in Tears Over the Unfortunate Incident
In the high-stakes world of horse racing, where split-second decisions can lead to glory or heartbreak, moments of profound humanity often emerge from the shadows of tragedy. This week, as the echoes of the 2025 Melbourne Cup still reverberate through Flemington Racecourse, one story has captured the hearts of racing enthusiasts worldwide. James McDonald, the New Zealand-born jockey who has become synonymous with excellence on the track, has stepped off his pedestal of success to extend a lifeline to a young rider whose dreams were shattered in an instant. The 23-year-old apprentice Tom Prebble, son of Melbourne Cup legend Brett Prebble and nephew to trailblazing jockey Michelle Payne, lies at the center of this tale—a narrative of resilience, family legacy, and an unbreakable spirit that refuses to be dimmed by adversity.
It was a crisp September afternoon at Warrnambool Racecourse in Victoria’s southwest, a picturesque coastal track known for its challenging windswept terrain and unyielding demands on riders. Tom Prebble, a rising star in the apprentice ranks, had already notched 123 career wins, including a stakes victory at Flemington that hinted at the champion he was destined to become. Working under the guidance of his uncle Patrick and aunt Michelle Payne—the first woman to win the Melbourne Cup in 2015—Prebble embodied the next generation of a dynasty steeped in racing royalty. His father, Brett, had etched his name in history aboard Green Moon in 2012, and Tom seemed poised to carry that torch forward.
But fate had other plans. Just 700 meters from the finish line in a routine mid-week race, Prebble’s mount stumbled, hurling him to the unforgiving turf in a fall that unfolded in agonizing slow motion for onlookers. The impact was catastrophic: a fractured spine at the T4-T5 level, resulting in complete ASIA A paraplegia. Paramedics rushed to the scene as the race ground to a halt, airlifting the young jockey to The Alfred Hospital in Melbourne. There, in the sterile confines of the operating room, surgeons battled to stabilize the damage, but the verdict was devastating—no sensation or movement below the chest, a wheelchair-bound future that stripped away not just his physical mobility but the very career he had poured his soul into.
News of the accident spread like wildfire through the racing community, igniting a wave of grief and solidarity. Fans, many of whom had followed Prebble’s meteoric rise from pony circuits to professional tracks, took to social media with messages of support, their posts laced with tears and tributes. “Heartbroken for Tom and the Prebble family,” one devotee wrote, capturing the collective anguish. A GoFundMe campaign launched by family friend Sally Tsalikidis quickly surged past its initial goals, raising funds for experimental treatments abroad—Japan topping Prebble’s wishlist—and adaptive equipment to rebuild his life. By early November, donations had poured in from fellow jockeys, trainers, and everyday punters, underscoring the sport’s tight-knit ethos: when one rider falls, the entire peloton rallies.
Amid this outpouring, Prebble himself has emerged as a beacon of unyielding optimism. From his rehabilitation bed at the Austin Hospital’s ICU, and later at the specialist Epworth Richmond facility, he has spoken with a maturity far beyond his years. “I’m not dirty on racing,” he told reporters in an emotional interview on Victoria Derby Day, flanked by his father Brett, whose eyes glistened with a mix of pride and pain. Diagnosed with the most severe form of spinal injury, Prebble has already mastered transfers from wheelchair to bed and car, milestones that mark the grueling path of spinal cord recovery. Drawing inspiration from peers like former jockey Tye Angland, paralyzed in a 2018 Hong Kong fall, and Tasmanian rider Katherine Reed, a paraplegic mother of three, he eyes a future beyond the saddle—perhaps in training, broadcasting, or international travel. “I just want to get back to society,” he said simply, his words a quiet defiance against despair.
Enter James McDonald, the 33-year-old maestro whose silken touch has netted him four consecutive Cox Plate triumphs and a 2021 Melbourne Cup victory aboard Verry Elleegant. A World Jockey of the Year in 2021 and 2024, McDonald grew up idolizing Brett Prebble, the very man whose son now faced an uncertain horizon. Their paths converged poignantly after McDonald’s latest Cox Plate masterclass in October. Fresh from the winner’s circle, he detoured straight to Prebble’s hospital room, forgoing celebrations to sit bedside with the young apprentice. What transpired there—whispers of encouragement, shared dreams of the track—laid the groundwork for a gesture that would soon stun the racing world.
On Melbourne Cup Day, November 4, 2025, as Flemington buzzed with 90,000 spectators under clear spring skies, McDonald channeled his form into action. Riding the Michael Freedman-trained Pallaton in the $150,000 Schweppervescence Plate, he guided the gelding to a commanding victory, securing a $82,500 first-prize payout for the connections. McDonald’s standard 5% rider’s cut? A tidy $4,100. But in a move that transcended the ledger, he pledged every cent—and any further Cup Day earnings—to Prebble’s recovery fund. “Tom’s story hits close to home,” McDonald shared post-race, his voice steady but eyes betraying the depth of emotion. “Brett was my hero growing up; seeing this happen to his boy… I want to give back what I can. Racing’s tough, but it’s family.”
The announcement rippled through the grandstands, drawing cheers and sniffles in equal measure. It wasn’t just the money—though that $4,100 could fund vital therapies—but the symbolism: a superstar lifting a fallen peer, reminding all that victories are hollow without compassion. Prebble, watching from afar with his family, later posted a heartfelt thank-you on social media, a photo of him beaming in his wheelchair alongside Aunt Michelle and Dad Brett at Flemington the week prior. “J-Mac, you’re a legend on and off the track,” he wrote. “This means the world.”
As the dust settles on another Cup carnival, McDonald’s promise stands as a testament to the sport’s soul. In an era where headlines scream of scandals and superstars, this beautiful moment reaffirms why racing endures: not for the roar of the crowd or the gleam of trophies, but for the quiet bonds that heal the deepest wounds. For Tom Prebble, the road ahead is long, lined with physiotherapy sessions, experimental trials, and the uncharted territory of reinvention. Yet with allies like McDonald in his corner, and a legacy that pulses through his veins, his story is far from over. It’s just beginning—a new race, one where the finish line is measured not in lengths, but in lives reclaimed and spirits unbroken.
