Holland on a mission

The 30-year-old Holland now has an excellent platform on which to build at Geoff Wragg's Newmarket stable with 'Mollers Racing' horses and those owned by John Pearce - St Expedit, Bosham Mill and Asian Heights among them.

He also has an agreement with Edward St George to ride the Lucayan Stud horses which include Continent, Bahamian Pirate and Hurricane Floyd.

He can rely on being No 2 rider for Mark Johnston's powerful northern yard behind former champion Darley, having had a long relationship with the stable.

Holland also expects to team up with Headquarters handler Jeremy Noseda as often as possible on his team of horses.

The pair have a great rapport, while former boss Barry Hills is another for whom he will be riding.

Holland said: "My new agent is also an important part of the equation. He only works for me, and it is vital to have someone who just concentrates on you alone.

"To prepare for the assault on the title I have not been away over the winter, except on holiday, and have kept fit by riding winners on the all-weather at home.

"I got married to Jacqueline last September and I have found married life really good. In this game it is particularly important that you are happy at home and settled."

Holland, whose biggest successes in the saddle include victories on Compton Admiral in the Coral Eclipse Stakes and My Emma in the Yorkshire Oaks, has yet to add an English Classic to his impressive CV, but believes one might come his way during this campaign. One horse he has a high opinion of is Miss Corniche, owned by Pearce.

A long, hard season stretches ahead, and the tarmac will take a pounding from the tyres of Holland's luxury Lexus in which he expects to clock up 70,000 miles on the road with his driver Nick Guest, of the well-known horseracing family, at the wheel.

That doesn't take into account the number of air miles Holland will chalk up during the course of the season riding abroad.

If you are thinking of backing Manchester-born Holland to gain his first title, Victor Chandler is quoting 14-1, with Fallon the even-money favourite, Darley at 11-8 and Quinn 7-1.

However, Holland will have to watch out for the stewards, from whom he has received several riding bans. In 1998 he was the most suspended jockey with 33 days off for whip and riding offences, but he said: "You've got to be aggressive in this sport. If I lose, it's not for the want of trying."

Holland, a former champion apprentice, who had not even sat on a horse 14 years ago, honed his talent in this country and in Hong Kong after learning his trade with Barry Hills. It has been a bit of a roller-coaster ride at times - joining the Johnston stable, then losing that Middleham-based job and returning to the Far East only to come back again and rejoin Johnston.

He is a popular member of the weighing room and because of his surname, colleagues call him "Dutch". This term, Holland can add a new meaning to the phrase "Going Dutch".