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Trainer Profile

Bruce Purcell

Bruce has been involved with horses all his life. His father George was a well-known and very successful trainer, still holding a trainers licence at 90 years of age. 

Bruce was a very successful amateur rider, riding many winners. As his weight got the better of him he rode mainly in Steeplechases and at Point To Points.  He was also sought after as a track rider with a reputation of being able to ride "anything".  The best horse he says he has ever ridden was Anonyme, who won two Marlborough Cups, a Linlithgow stakes, Toorak Hcp, C.F. Orr, J.J. Liston, etc beating such great horses as Aquanita and Small Time.  Anonyme proved very hard to train as he was such a strong puller but Bruce's horsemanship won the 17.1 hh horse over, and they formed a grand partnership.

Bruce began his training career at Epsom.  Some of his best-remembered wins are The Moonee Valley Cup, Liston Stakes, Easter Cup, and many other black type and city races with horses such as Vonanne, Tickle My, King Matthias, Prince Gaylord, New Krop, Sweet Ripa, My Good Fellow, Duke of Oakhill, Toolora Miss, Toolora Touch, Rich Habit, Richelle, and many, many others. He also was leading metropolitan jumps trainer with horses such as Georgie's Son, Qu'appelle, Juniors Boy, Cromatino, Royal Relko, Skipio.

Bruce still rides to this day, and as soon as a horse seems to have a problem (mental or physical) Bruce jumps on to get a feel for the problem and to work out the reason for himself.

Jean Purcell

Jean Purcell has also been passionately involved with horses all her life.  She entered the racing industry as a schoolgirl when she worked for legendry trainer Owen Lynch in return for agistment for her own horses.  He was a wonderful mentor and gave Jean an excellent grounding and introduction to the industry. 

She also had some involvement with a selection of the industry’s elite, including trainers such as Angus Amanasco, Maurie Wilmott, Geoff Murphy and John Hawkes. 

After obtaining a picnic licence, and achieving leading picnic trainer in her first season, Jean took out a full trainers licence. To this day, 22 years later, she still trains for many of her original owners.

The highlight of her training career is a Group Three win at Moonee Valley with Prizefighter, a horse she bred and raised herself.  Jean’s other personal highlight was the recognition of her achievements in racing when she was a deserving recipient of the prestigious “The Lady of Racing” award.

Career Record

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