Racing: Hunger for success key to the future

Patrick Holmes will never be at a more important crossroad than the one he faces right now.

The hugely talented, but troubled, apprentice jockey has been given one last chance to go down the right path to resurrect a career that was, in essence, all over.

It is no secret that things were not going well between Holmes and his employers, Trevor and Stephen McKee, despite an apprenticeship that was originally flying on the racetrack.

The McKees gave Holmes every opportunity through the first two years of his apprenticeship and the teenager repaid them with a talent that was taking him to the top, but the rot set in.

Group and Listed Stakes wins on the likes of Millennium, Pay My Bail and Millnorm did not reflect what was going on behind the scenes.

A bad diet led to ballooning weight which led to employer- employee dissatisfaction to the point of meltdown. In the ironic way these things work, the lighter Holmes wasted down to, the higher his weight rose when he eased off.

His last winner was Millennium in a Listed Stakes race at Pukekohe in September and in early November he gave racing away when his weight reached 58kg.

The 18-year-old admits he was very sour at the time.

"I got depressed. I wasn't looking after myself and being a kid, I was eating takeaways."

He flirted with harness racing, driving at organised workouts for Todd Mitchell and looked to become a junior harness driver.

But the considerable financial reward he'd enjoyed from the saddle was not available in harness. His bodyweight reversed from the 64kg he allowed it to get to, to 58kg.

Realisation set in. He suddenly understood he had no other qualifications and if he wanted to get ahead, race riding was his one chance in life.

A couple of months ago he approached Cambridge trainer Shaune Ritchie, offering to ride work. Ritchie struck a deal with the McKees whereby Holmes is on loan for a three-month trial.

What is really on trial is Holmes' attitude. He has to show aptitude, sadly missing during his slide.

He had his first ride back on the Ritchie-trained Pay The Believers at Rotorua and was in reflective mood as he prepared for three mounts at Avondale yesterday.

"I'm back living with my mum in Cambridge and she is making sure I eat healthily."

Ritchie is doing his bit in trying to keep Holmes on the right path.

"Patrick hasn't missed a morning at trackwork in the two months. He rides a couple for me each morning then heads off to ride for Chris and Colleen Wood, Bryce Tankard and Chris McNab.

"The positive feature that I can see is that he has got back his hunger for success. If he can maintain that after he gets back to winning races then that will be the difference between him being one of our top riders or one of the also-rans.

"The job is to keep Patrick focussed, which I understand has been an issue in the past."

Holmes can ride at 54kg and says that, at least in the short term, he does not want to try to get lighter.

"I'm doing it comfortably and I don't want to upset that. What happened before was that I was trying to get too light too often. I'd be 54kg-55kg on the Friday and try and ride at 52kg on the Saturday. That's when your weight balloons when you eat again."

In racehorses talent is not enough - attitude is what gets horses through the pain barrier and to the winning post.

Jockeys are no different. The scenario facing Holmes appears, from afar, one that is easy to fix.

History tells you it is not.

The next three months will define the life of Patrick Holmes.

Back in fold

* Former top apprentice Patrick Holmes is back on track after running off the rails.

* He has his weight under control and had his first race ride in six months at Rotorua on Saturday.

* He is working for Cambridge trainer Shaune Ritchie and is looking to get back on the winners' list.