Douglas injury update

29 December 2012 - Champion local driver Daryl Douglas, injured in a Boxing Day fall at Ballarat, is home from hospital for the weekend but will return to the Royal Melbourne on either Monday or Tuesday for possible surgery. Latest reports on Douglas are that he has broken eye sockets and cheek bones and severe facial swelling, the result of a horse stepping on his face. His brother, leading trainer Glenn Douglas said that the doctors have him on medication to relieve the pain and reduce the swelling. "When the swelling goes down they can operate if necessary but that won't be for a couple of days," he said. "The doctors are quite happy the all the bones are where they should be so time will tell if reconstruction is necessary." It was first thought that Daryl had broken his jaw but those bones now appear to be in place. It will be a six week recovery period after reconstructive surgery and Douglas, who is the Victorian premiership leader with Chris Alford, looks like being out of the sulky for quite a few months. - David Aldred