It has been revealed that star jockey Dean Holland was in the process of applying for his dream racing gig in Hong Kong just two hours before his tragic death in a racing fall.
The two-time Group 1 winning jockey, 34, is survived by wife Lucy and four children under the age of five – Harley, Luca, Frankie and Lily – and the tight-knit racing community is in shock for the hugely popular rider.
Heartbreakingly, his old coach, ex-jockey James Winks, revealed that the Dutchman in shape was eager to practice his trade in Hong Kong because of how happy and settled he was with his young family.
Before his tragic death, the Netherlands was in brilliant shape. Just weeks before, he won his second Group 1 race at In Secret in Newmarket, having already racked up 82 winners in Victoria this season.
After years of dabbling on rural and metropolitan golf courses across Victoria and South Australia and racking up more than 1,000 wins, Holland finally got the applause it deserved.
Dean Holland won his second Group 1 on March 11, and his brilliant form was so good before his tragic death, his coach suggested he sign up for a race in Hong Kong.
The South Australian native celebrates after winning the 2015 Adelaide Cup, one of the biggest wins of his career
Holland died in a racing incident on Monday, leaving behind wife Lucy and four children under the age of five (two pictured): Harley, Luca, Frankie and Lily
Ex-jockey James Winks, who coached Holland and a number of other riders, revealed that he helped Holland with his application to race in Hong Kong just two hours before his death
And Winks begged him to push himself into Hong Kong’s glamorous, fast-paced and wealthy racing world, with the pair working together on his filing with the racing authorities there just two hours before his tragic death.
“He (Netherlands) wanted me to read his resume yesterday, so we were back and forth on the text messages, so I ended up calling him,” Winks recalled Racing net.
“He said, ‘I’m now settled with my beautiful family, so it (driving in Hong Kong) is something I wanted to do’.” Two hours later he lost his life.’
Winks himself won a Group 1 race in Sha Tin – he knew the Netherlands were ready.
Instead, he now wonders what could have been.
The jockey mentor has a very close customer base, all of whom are now completely devastated by the loss of their partner.
With racing in Victoria rightly called off on ANZAC Day in the aftermath of the tragedy, a number of top hoops caught up for a beer to remember the Netherlands and come to terms with the loss together.
A number of jockeys coached by Winks, including (LR) Dylan Dean, Zac Spain, Jordan Childs, Tom Conlan, Ash Thompson and Jordan Dean, gathered at a Melbourne pub on Tuesday to commemorate their great mate
“We’re all getting together today to have him a beer so we can meet. We all formed a team bond by training together, for example, and they’re all broken,” said Winks.
“It makes it even harder when you start thinking about his wife and kids. It’s just awful when you know they won’t have a father.
“My wife is distraught and my little man likes to race and he asked me this morning if Dean was coming back. It really touches me.’
The 34-year-old was riding the Tony McEvoy gelding Headingley in Donald, northwest Victoria, on Monday when he was involved in a fall described by onlookers as ‘sickening’.
Tragically, his parents – who are also heavily involved in racing – witnessed it on live television.
Holland was thrown to the turf as the three-year-old moved sharply to the inside rail before falling as the field turned home at the top of the straight.
Holland was airlifted to hospital in critical condition after a sickening race in the country of Victoria, and tragically could not be saved
Alana Kelly and her mount Time to Rumble were then also knocked down, with the full power and weight of both horses appearing to land on Holland, who remained lying on the turf.
Miraculously, both horses avoided injury and ran away from the scene, while Kelly was able to walk back to the scales.
Horse racing is literally a matter of life or death for jockeys based on things that happened in the blink of an eye.
Michael Walker, who was recently forced to retire after a nauseating head wound he suffered in a trial last year, summed it up best.
‘It’s such a tough job. Just try and tell me how many professional jobs you have in this world where an ambulance is chasing you,” he told the Sydney
“If things go well and you win those big races, that’s what we live for.
“But it can end your life if it goes wrong.”
After his death, the racing world sent messages of support to Holland’s (second from right) wife Lucy (right).
Holland, who won the 2021 Geelong Cup aboard Tralee Rose, recently posted a photo of his four children, Harley, Luca, Frankie and Lily, at Geelong Racecourse in front of a sign immortalizing his win
Amid what would undoubtedly be overwhelming grief, the Dutch family, who are highly respected members of South Australia’s racing community, also said they were thinking of all the other riders sharing a jockey room with their son, brother and partner.
“We are aware of thousands sharing our pain as we come to the reality that we have a once-in-a-lifetime person, a much-loved partner, a wonderful father of four beautiful young children in Harley, Luca, Frankie and Lily. , but also a special brother and a wonderful son,” the family said in a statement.
“The outpouring of love for Dean and the care and support for us helps us cope with our loss.
“We think of Dean’s colleagues in the jockey room and everyone in our industry he loved so much.”
Prominent racing identity Tony Ottobre has started a fundraiser in the wake of the tragedy and has already raised more than $865,000.
To donate to the GoFundMe for Dutch woman Lucy and their four children, click here.
