Embedded Files
Tim Holland-Martin
Tim Holland-Martin
Although he did not ride his first winner under National Hunt rules until he was 32, Timothy David Holland-Martin certainly made up for lost time. Over the course of the next decade he had another 28 victories, including one at the Cheltenham Festival, then returned in 1985 to add two more.
Although he did not ride his first winner under National Hunt rules until he was 32, Timothy David Holland-Martin certainly made up for lost time. Over the course of the next decade he had another 28 victories, including one at the Cheltenham Festival, then returned in 1985 to add two more.
Born on October 8, 1936, he was educated at Eton and then went to the Royal Agricultural College at Cirencester which had been founded by his great-great-grandfather. According to his entry in the Directory of the Turf he had ridden in point-to-points and under rules as early as 1958. He owned and rode Midnight Coup to win the 1962 Lady Dudley Cup, the Cheltenham Gold Cup of point-to-pointing, held at that time at Upton-on-Severn. He was third in the race two years later on the home-bred mare Green Parrot. He also finished fourth on her, beaten only three lengths by the winner, in Cheltenham’s National Hunt Chase in 1965.
Born on October 8, 1936, he was educated at Eton and then went to the Royal Agricultural College at Cirencester which had been founded by his great-great-grandfather. According to his entry in the Directory of the Turf he had ridden in point-to-points and under rules as early as 1958. He owned and rode Midnight Coup to win the 1962 Lady Dudley Cup, the Cheltenham Gold Cup of point-to-pointing, held at that time at Upton-on-Severn. He was third in the race two years later on the home-bred mare Green Parrot. He also finished fourth on her, beaten only three lengths by the winner, in Cheltenham’s National Hunt Chase in 1965.
In addition to riding in point-to-points and under rules, Tim’s primary involvement was manging the successful Overbury Stud, at first jointly with his uncle, Thurston Holland-Martin, on the family’s land in Worcestershire and farming the 4,000-acre estate. The stud’s most famous produce was 1975 Derby and ‘King George’ hero Grundy, while other notable graduates included leading sire Mummy’s Pet, top sprinter Tower Walk, and College Chapel, Vincent O’Brien’s last Royal Ascot winner. Incidentally, Green Parrott, foaled in 1957, was a sister to Lundy Princess, dam of Word From Lundy, the dam of Grundy.
In addition to riding in point-to-points and under rules, Tim’s primary involvement was manging the successful Overbury Stud, at first jointly with his uncle, Thurston Holland-Martin, on the family’s land in Worcestershire and farming the 4,000-acre estate. The stud’s most famous produce was 1975 Derby and ‘King George’ hero Grundy, while other notable graduates included leading sire Mummy’s Pet, top sprinter Tower Walk, and College Chapel, Vincent O’Brien’s last Royal Ascot winner. Incidentally, Green Parrott, foaled in 1957, was a sister to Lundy Princess, dam of Word From Lundy, the dam of Grundy.
Tim’s first success under NH rules was at Cheltenham on April 11, 1969 when the nine-year-old Touch Of Tammy won the Charles Turner Challenge Cup, a hunter chase, by two and a half lengths for owner-trainer George Guilding. Half an hour later he partnered Moonduster, trained by Fred Rimell, to beat Ice Review by half a length in the Overbury Amateur Riders’ Handicap Chase.
Tim’s first success under NH rules was at Cheltenham on April 11, 1969 when the nine-year-old Touch Of Tammy won the Charles Turner Challenge Cup, a hunter chase, by two and a half lengths for owner-trainer George Guilding. Half an hour later he partnered Moonduster, trained by Fred Rimell, to beat Ice Review by half a length in the Overbury Amateur Riders’ Handicap Chase.
After not riding a winner the following season, he recorded seven victories in 1970/71, including three on the eight-year-old hunter chaser Sally Furlong. The last of these was in the United Hunts Challenge Cup, which in those days formed part of Cheltenham’s National Hunt meeting. Tim regarded this, along with the aforementioned double at Cheltenham as the two highlights of his riding career.
After not riding a winner the following season, he recorded seven victories in 1970/71, including three on the eight-year-old hunter chaser Sally Furlong. The last of these was in the United Hunts Challenge Cup, which in those days formed part of Cheltenham’s National Hunt meeting. Tim regarded this, along with the aforementioned double at Cheltenham as the two highlights of his riding career.
He won six races on Crème Brule and five on Water Laughing, both good hunter chasers. He was placed three times in the Cheltenham Foxhunters’ and twice finished second in the Liverpool equivalent. It looked likely for a long way that Crème Brule would win the 1974 renewal of the latter but the ten-year-old was caught close home and beaten three-quarters of a length by Lord Fortune. They went even closer two years later, beaten only a head by Joey Newton on Credit Call.
He won six races on Crème Brule and five on Water Laughing, both good hunter chasers. He was placed three times in the Cheltenham Foxhunters’ and twice finished second in the Liverpool equivalent. It looked likely for a long way that Crème Brule would win the 1974 renewal of the latter but the ten-year-old was caught close home and beaten three-quarters of a length by Lord Fortune. They went even closer two years later, beaten only a head by Joey Newton on Credit Call.
He twice owned, trained and rode the winner of Sandown’s Royal Artillery Gold Cup, aboard Merchant Banker in 1974 and Wisbech Lad in 1979. The second occasion looked to have been the final time he would wear his colours of ‘green, black hoop and armlets, red cap’ into the winner’s enclosure, but there would be more to come, albeit not for a few years.
He twice owned, trained and rode the winner of Sandown’s Royal Artillery Gold Cup, aboard Merchant Banker in 1974 and Wisbech Lad in 1979. The second occasion looked to have been the final time he would wear his colours of ‘green, black hoop and armlets, red cap’ into the winner’s enclosure, but there would be more to come, albeit not for a few years.
Meanwhile, in 1981 Tim found he had a problem. The newly-formed British Telecom wanted to paint the Overbury village telephone box BT yellow. The family avoided having it GPO red so this just wouldn’t do. It had always been green, and, as he famously pointed out, if it were any other colour the locals simply wouldn’t be able to find it!
Meanwhile, in 1981 Tim found he had a problem. The newly-formed British Telecom wanted to paint the Overbury village telephone box BT yellow. The family avoided having it GPO red so this just wouldn’t do. It had always been green, and, as he famously pointed out, if it were any other colour the locals simply wouldn’t be able to find it!
Having not been seen in action on the racecourse for some time and by then in his 50th year, Tim made a brief return and won two Warwick hunter chases on his own horse Hot Fever, the second of which was the Warwickshire Hunters’ Chase on March 5, 1985.
Having not been seen in action on the racecourse for some time and by then in his 50th year, Tim made a brief return and won two Warwick hunter chases on his own horse Hot Fever, the second of which was the Warwickshire Hunters’ Chase on March 5, 1985.
Tim subsequently acted as a steward at Cheltenham. In 2000, Simon Sweeting leased Overbury Stud from the Holland-Martin family.
Tim subsequently acted as a steward at Cheltenham. In 2000, Simon Sweeting leased Overbury Stud from the Holland-Martin family.
Tim Holland-Martin’s wins were, in chronological order:
Tim Holland-Martin’s wins were, in chronological order:
1. Touch Of Tammy, Cheltenham, April 11, 1969
1. Touch Of Tammy, Cheltenham, April 11, 1969
2. Moonduster, Cheltenham, April 11, 1969
2. Moonduster, Cheltenham, April 11, 1969
3. Sally Furlong, Chepstow, February 2, 1971
3. Sally Furlong, Chepstow, February 2, 1971
4. Pensham, Leicester, February 9, 1971
4. Pensham, Leicester, February 9, 1971
5. Sally Furlong, Newbury, February 13, 1971
5. Sally Furlong, Newbury, February 13, 1971
6. French berry, Huntingdon, March 9, 1971
6. French berry, Huntingdon, March 9, 1971
7. Sally Furlong, Cheltenham, March 18, 1971
7. Sally Furlong, Cheltenham, March 18, 1971
8. Green Plover, Cheltenham, April 19, 1971
8. Green Plover, Cheltenham, April 19, 1971
9. Billionaire, Towcester, May 31, 1971
9. Billionaire, Towcester, May 31, 1971
10. Flower Boy, Stratford-on-Avon, April 6, 1972
10. Flower Boy, Stratford-on-Avon, April 6, 1972
11. Some Man, Taunton, April 20, 1972
11. Some Man, Taunton, April 20, 1972
12. Green Plover, Fontwell Park, May 29, 1972
12. Green Plover, Fontwell Park, May 29, 1972
13. Water Laughing, Taunton, February 24, 1973
13. Water Laughing, Taunton, February 24, 1973
14. Water Laughing, Leicester, March 5, 1973
14. Water Laughing, Leicester, March 5, 1973
15. Humorous, Hereford, May 19, 1973
15. Humorous, Hereford, May 19, 1973
16. Crème Brule, Ludlow, May 23, 1973
16. Crème Brule, Ludlow, May 23, 1973
17. Crème Brule, Ludlow, March 1, 1974
17. Crème Brule, Ludlow, March 1, 1974
18. Water Laughing, Warwick, March 6, 1974
18. Water Laughing, Warwick, March 6, 1974
19. Water Laughing, Newbury, March 23, 1974
19. Water Laughing, Newbury, March 23, 1974
20. Merchant Banker, Sandown Park, March 26, 1974
20. Merchant Banker, Sandown Park, March 26, 1974
21. Crème Brule, Uttoxeter, April 16, 1974
21. Crème Brule, Uttoxeter, April 16, 1974
22. Water Laughing, Cheltenham, May 1, 1974
22. Water Laughing, Cheltenham, May 1, 1974
23. Crème Brule, Worcester, April 24, 1975
23. Crème Brule, Worcester, April 24, 1975
24. Crème Brule, Cheltenham, May 1, 1975
24. Crème Brule, Cheltenham, May 1, 1975
25. Crème Brule, Towcester, April 17, 1976
25. Crème Brule, Towcester, April 17, 1976
26. Toscason, Hereford, March 5, 1977
26. Toscason, Hereford, March 5, 1977
27. Wisbech Lad, Sandown Park, March 27, 1979
27. Wisbech Lad, Sandown Park, March 27, 1979
28. Hot Fever, Warwick, February 5, 1985
28. Hot Fever, Warwick, February 5, 1985
29. Hot Fever, Warwick, March 5, 1985
29. Hot Fever, Warwick, March 5, 1985
With thanks to Alan Trout for providing the bulk of this article and full list of winners.
With thanks to Alan Trout for providing the bulk of this article and full list of winners.
March 18, 1971: Tim wins Cheltenham's United Challenge Cup
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse