Frank Holman

Frank Holman

Article by Alan Trout

Frank Holman rode his first winner over jumps in 1903 and his last in 1914. In between he had the occasional success, seven in all, as well as many also-rans. Remarkably, all but one of his seven victories came at Torquay’s annual Easter meeting.

Indeed, his first three wins came there within the space of 24 hours, starting with Firefiend, who landed the Torquay Selling Hurdle on Easter Monday, April 13, 1903. The gelding had not run since disgracing himself by running out on both days of the corresponding meeting the previous year, each time with Frank in the saddle. Now on his best behaviour, he beat Hazelhuhn, the mount of Edward Southgate, by a length. 

On the following day, Frank rode the six-year-old Carrots to win the Torquay and South Devon Handicap Chase from Horton, ridden by Tom Heath. The margin of victory was three lengths, and there was an even more comfortable success later in the afternoon when he teamed up with Firefiend again to land the St. Mary-Church Hurdle, beating his sole opponent St. Selskar by ten lengths.  

It was not until April 5, 1904, again at Torquay, that Frank had his fourth success when Firefiend won the race that Carrots had triumphed in the year before, having made his seasonal reappearance the previous day when finishing second with Frank up, beaten half a length. In an incident-packed race, Firefiend was the only one to complete the course without mishap, as two rivals ran out, a third fell, and the fourth, Pedometer, ridden by John Woodman, also fell after a collision but was remounted to finish a distant second.

Frank rode only occasionally in the next few years but came back in 1911 to land the Selling Handicap Hurdle at Newton Abbot on August 7 aboard Nitre, although he was perhaps fortunate to do so. Sea Kid, ridden by Mr A. Crickett, finished first by half a length but was then disqualified because “the entry was not signed by the nominator or his authorised agent”, meaning Frank had his first winner for seven years. 

The day after his Newton Abbot success, Nitre and Frank were reunited over the same course but finished unplaced, while the luckless Mr Crickett won again on Sea Kid and was once more disqualified. 

On Tuesday, April 9, 1912, Frank was successful at Torquay yet again when Better Half won the Plodders Selling Handicap Chase by eight lengths, having finished second earlier in the afternoon in the selling hurdle when ridden by Michael Tighe. Frank kept the mount and the pair had a busy May, running seven times in 26 days, but with only three third-place finishes to show for it. 

Frank had one final success, once more at Torquay, where, on Tuesday, April 14, 1914, he won the Maidencombe Selling Handicap Hurdle on Uncle Grey, the winning margin being one and a half lengths. Yet again, the pair had run the precious day when finishing second in another selling hurdle.

Frank had his final ride when partnering Tarsant, a faller in the West of England Handicap Chase at Torquay on Easter Monday, April 5, 1915. 

With the First World War by then at its height, there were no more meetings at Torquay until 1920, by which time Frank Holman had retired. The course continued to stage its traditional two-day Easter fixture throughout the inter-war period, the last being on Easter Monday, March 25, 1940, reduced that year to a one-day meeting because of the war.

It was Hitler’s bombs that killed off racing at Torquay. The course met its end when the grandstand, weighing room and stabling block were destroyed in a massive air raid on Sunday, May 30, 1943. The wrecked grandstand was in a dangerous condition, and with rebuilding costs being prohibitive, it was decided to pull it down. After 50 years of National Hunt racing, Torquay’s annual Easter meeting was moved to nearby Newton Abbot.