There’s a sad hint of irony, foreshadowing, or whatever the hell you want to call it, that Dean Holland was presented with the ride on the James Cummings/Godolphin filly In Secret due to Jamie Kah’s fall that same day at Flemington, and Dutchy Holland was one of the only lightweight riders at Headquarters that day capable of meeting the 51.5kg in time.

Making the most of his moment in the Royal Blue silks, Holland wound up flying down the fabled Straight Six to claim his 2nd career Group 1 victory, joining his win in the 2010 Australasian Oaks at Morphetville aboard Small Minds for John Thompson.

And just over a month later, capping off a horror run of falls in Victorian racing since March, Dean is no longer with us.

Another tragic reminder that race riding is the most dangerous profession on the earth.