Tributes have flowed in after the tragic death of jockey Dean Holland following a horror race fall in country Victoria – which has left many in the racing industry reflecting on the dark side of the sport.
The 34-year-old tragically leaves behind wife Lucy and four young children: Harley, Luca, Frankie and Lily.
Holland, who just weeks ago was celebrating his second Group 1 race win after victory in the Newmarket Handicap, was hugely popular in the jockeys room across a decorated career that began in South Australia.
Fellow hoops, trainers, pundits, members of the tight-knit racing fraternity and fans are in shock and heartbroken over Holland’s tragic death.
On Monday, the veteran hoop was riding Tony McEvoy mount Headingley in the first race at 1.30pm in Donald, 280km north-west of Melbourne, when he was involved in a fall described by onlookers as ‘sickening’.
Group 1-winning jockey Dean Holland died in a race incident on Sunday, leaving behind wife Lucy and four children (two pictured with them): Harley, Luca, Frankie and Lily.
Holland won the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap on March 11 at Flemington. The star jockey has clocked up more than 1000 winners in his career
The South Australian native celebrates after winning the 2015 Adelaide Cup, one of the biggest victories of his career
Jockey Alana Kelly (centre, pink and blue silks) was brought down in the fall at Donald, in north-west Victoria, on Monday; with Holland unseen under the first horse. Both horses were uninjured
Holland was thrown to the turf when the three-year-old gelding moved sharply to the inside rail before falling as the field turned for home at the top of the straight.
Alana Kelly and her mount Time to Rumble were then also brought down, with the full force and weight of both horses appearing to land on Holland, who remained prone on the turf.
Miraculously, both mounts avoided injury and ran away from the scene, while Kelly was able to walk back to the scales.
Holland was treated on-course by medical personnel, before being airlifted to a Melbourne hospital in a critical condition. Victoria Police confirmed his death just after 4pm.
Hoops and trainers all across the country, and the world, were united in their grief over the loss of their much-loved brother in arms.
Veteran South Australian rider Dom Tourneur, who raced alongside Holland for many years in the Festival State, said he could not understand why such a horrible end came to such a well-liked rider.
‘Dean, Life is hard to fathom, I don’t understand its ways and why it chooses to take goodness away. The pain is difficult and to all that knew you it will never be eradicated,’ he said.
‘Rest easy and assured that Lucy and your kids will have endless support and your legacy will live through them.
‘The whole racing fraternity holds a memory of you that you left with us all and not only my heart but everyone you touched goes out to all feeling pain. Watch on from above and keep safe hands wrapped around your family.’
The racing world sent messages of support to Holland’s (second from right) wife Lucy (right) following his tragic death
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 immortalising his win
Holland was airlifted to hospital in a critical condition on Monday after the sickening race fall in country Victoria, and, tragically, later died
Craig Williams, who is still recovering from serious injuries suffered in a race fall of his own, said he was ‘saddened’ over the tragic loss: ‘Our thoughts and condolences go out to Dean’s family and friends during this difficult time. He was a respected jockey and a loving father. May he rest in peace.’
Ex-jockey Scott Bailey, who is now a race caller in Singapore, was there the day Holland rode in his very first professional race in Ceduna, outback South Australia in 2005 – but said it was his character and accomplishments away from the track that stand out to him the most.
‘His best accomplishment was his partner Lucy and their four beautiful children. The racing family must now rally around them and his extended family more than ever,’ he told Racing.com.
‘He was naturally talented from the start, even though the saddles weighed twice what he did.
‘He was just the nicest person too. He always offered support and I was so proud to see him win his Group 1s after the times we would ride around the non-TABs and celebrate a country cup like it was a Melbourne Cup.’
Trainer Lloyd Kennewell said the much-loved jockey had an ‘infectious smile’ that lit up a room, and his funeral will be packed to the rafters.
‘Dean was the life of the party and full of life,’ he said.
‘He was always smiling or making someone else smile and laugh, it was infectious. He was someone you could always count on and was as loyal a friend as you would find.
‘His family and friends were his everything. You will know how much he was liked and loved as there won’t be a church big enough to hold his funeral and more importantly, his wake.’
It’s a stark and sobering reminder that jockeys have one of the most dangerous jobs in Australia.
One punter called it the ‘most sickening fall I have seen’, with another writing it was ‘so sad to see this happening far too often’ – after a spate of very serious race falls involving superstar riders Jamie Kah and Craig Williams, as well as top hoops Ethan Brown and Teo Nugent in the last few months.
There’s a reason why many call it the most dangerous occupation in Australia, and a number of riders, including Ben Melham, are finally speaking out about the desperate need to make jockey safety the sport’s highest priority.
One top ex-jockey, who asked not to be named, told Daily Mail Australia that the expectations on riders are far too great and illustrated their point with an horrific example.
‘Last year, there was an apprentice that had rode for 14 or 16 days straight, and his master (trainer) would still make him be back at track work at 4am – even if that meant he got home from racing at 12am,’ the unnamed jockey said.
‘This kid ended up hitting a parked truck on his way to work after he fell asleep and totalled his car.’
18-time Group 1 winner Ben Melham took it a step further recently, slamming organisers for prioritising ‘turnover and revenue’ at ‘the expense of people’s lives’.
Top jockey Ben Melham recently slammed organisers for the packed racing calendar, saying it was unsustainable and putting riders lives at risk
‘The elephant in the room needs to be addressed. Victorian workload on racing participants in far too high,’ he wrote on social media.
‘Turnover and revenue is important, but not at the expense of peoples lives. Fatigue kills! Hopefully three near-death experiences in three weeks is enough.
‘Race riding requires mental clarity for split second decisions.
‘We ride Wednesday twilight, Thursday night, Friday night. [There’s] Trackwork and trials four to five days a week.
‘Racing (is) 24/7 365 days of the year. It’s not sustainable.’
Daily Mail Australia is in no way suggesting that racing organisers or a lack of safety were involved in Holland’s death.
Racing Victoria were swift to wrap their arms around everyone in the tight-knit industry, abandoning the Donald meeting before announcing Tuesday’s ANZAC Day meetings at Flemington and Moe would not go ahead.
‘RV, following consultation with the VJA, has determined that tomorrow’s ANZAC Day race meetings at Flemington and Moe will not proceed as programmed out of respect to Dean and the Holland family,’ a statement read.
Holland is pictured kayaking with wife Lucy. The pair have four young children
But NSW boss Peter V’landys, who has been in a very public war of words with racing organisers south of the border, took a different tack, opting to keep the three scheduled meetings in the state on, and donating $20,000 to a fund for Holland’s family.
Many punters were not impressed.
‘Randwick and all races in NSW should be postponed tomorrow, as a punter I wouldn’t be able to participate,’ one wrote on the organisation’s social media post, with another who was originally planning on attending saying betting felt ‘inappropriate’ in the circumstances.
Tourneur, who was scheduled to race in South Australia for the Gawler ANZAC Day meeting, said he was not in the right mindset to ride.
‘In light of Dean’s passing and the fact that it has a deeper meaning and is still so raw, as a mark of respect to his family, I have decided to stand down today albeit having one ride only. Iam not in the right mindset which also poses OHS (safety) issues so I feel it’s in my best interests,’ he said.
Fellow South Australian hoop Jacob Opperman made the same decision, and it is hard to imagine how jockeys around Australia would feel having to ride today.
Holland, pictured after winning at Mooney Valley in 2007, had a long career which began in South Australia
The mother of star young apprentice Zac Lloyd, whose mount was disqualified on Sunday at Hawkesbury after he mistakenly weighed in light, implored fans to realise just how dangerous the industry was.
‘Yesterday some were opinionated on my 19-year-old son Zac, after he made a mistake after rushing out the board room prior to the race,’ Nicola Lloyd said.
‘(But today) a mother is going to sleep knowing her son has passed. I just wish everyone would go easy on these humans risking their lives.’
Holland’s former boss, South Australian trainer Jon O’Connor, summed it up best when voicing his ‘disbelief’ at Holland’s passing.
‘We all know the risks but the impact when you’ve got that history with them … it’s just that feeling of disbelief,’ he told Racenet.
‘I don’t like to say it, but it makes you hate racing sometimes.
‘For all the sacrifices people make, and he’s made the ultimate sacrifice, it makes you almost want to walk away from racing.’
Prominent racing identity Tony Ottobre has started a fundraiser in the wake of the tragedy, and kickstarted it with a generous $100,000 donation.
To donate to the GoFundMe for Holland’s wife Lucy and their four children, click here.
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