Mathew Ellerton stroke: Renowned Melbourne horse trainer is rushed to hospital in Bali

A well-known Melbourne horse breeder has suffered a stroke in Bali after battling a serious gastrointestinal condition known as Bali Belly.

Mathew Ellerton, 51, was on holiday on the Indonesian island with his partner Leah and their son Jacob when he started vomiting last week.

His illness, probably caused by contaminated food or drink, became so severe that he was confined to bed in their hotel.

Ms Ellerton told Daily Mail Australia she believes Mr Ellerton was so dehydrated that a blood clot formed in his brain, blocking oxygen supply, causing his stroke.

While it is still unclear whether gastroenteritis – or traveller’s diarrhoea – could be the cause of the medical incident, a senior Australian doctor said it was “difficult to deny that the two events are somehow linked”.

The doctor, who wished to remain anonymous, did admit that it was “difficult to imagine a plausible connection between the two.”

The family’s nightmare began when Mr. Ellerton got out of bed and “just collapsed” into a chair.

Mrs Ellerton said her partner of 15 years suddenly turned pale and started sweating.

“I had to carry him back to the hotel room and then quickly get a doctor,” she recalls.

“I knew something was terribly wrong when I got him in and his face just slumped over. I was so scared, but it was all a blur.”

Mr Ellerton was rushed to the intensive care unit of a nearby hospital, where he underwent a thrombectomy to remove the blood clot.

He was subsequently medically evacuated from Indonesia and transferred to the Royal Melbourne Hospital on Sunday evening to recover in the stroke unit.

“He’s doing great, his face is back to normal,” Ellerton said.

‘He is talking and he has started walking, only his left arm is affected.

‘Things started to improve when we left Bali. He just needs a lot of physiotherapy to get back to work, but the Royals are very pleased with him.’

Until the fateful holiday, the energetic father appeared fit and healthy, but he suffered from high blood pressure, which he treated with medication.

Mr Ellerton (pictured at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne in 2018) underwent a thrombectomy to remove a blood clot that had formed on his brain

Mrs. Ellerton was fortunate that she was able to move belongings and use a credit card to pay the hospital bills, which were expected to cost the family more than $50,000.

She said their brave young son Jacob had remained strong during the terrible ordeal in Bali.

“He was great, but I think it’s only now that he’s home that it really hits home,” the concerned mother explained.

“He’ll be fine, he just needs a lot of love and attention.”

Mr. Ellerton will eventually be moved to the rehabilitation unit as the racing community rallies around the respected horse trainer.

More than $90,000 has been donated to a GoFundMe started by family friend Melissa Kennewell, who was in Bali when he collapsed.

She described the 51-year-old as a “key part of the racing industry” who is much loved for his “humble and unpretentious nature”.

Melbourne horse trainer Mathew Ellerton, 51, was photographed in Bali last week with his son Jacob

The Australian Trainers’ Association is reportedly working with Racing Victoria to help the Ellerton family pay some of his medical bills.

Mr Ellerton works as a horse breeder in Flemington, Melbourne, and has won almost 1,500 races and 15 top-level victories.

“He is a man of strong ethics and a practical approach, who cares for the welfare of every horse in his care,” his biography of Ellerton Racing reads.

‘He has a natural talent for assessing young horses, adjusting their training and providing honest and objective feedback to owners.

‘Mathew’s formula has worked for over 20 years, producing winner after winner, both at the city and provincial level.’