The moment that broke Jamie Kah as she shared emotional win with fallen jockey’s children

When the children of the late Dean Holland held hands with iron-willed jockey Jamie Kah on the lawns of Flemington’s mounting yard on Saturday, she had already melted.

The trailblazing jockey had been unbeaten by the blazing midday heat and big theatre build-up of the group 1 Newmarket Handicap.

Jamie Kah with Dean Holland’s children after winning the Newmarket Handicap.Credit: Getty Images

She had remained calm when steering three-year-old colt Cylinder down the Flemington straight before charging to a barnstorming win over favourite Imperatriz – remarkably, her third straight group 1 victory in three successive weeks.

But in the last 100 metres of the unexpected victory, her normally impenetrable facade began to crack. She was overcome with emotion when she returned to scale.

“I thought I was a tough person, but I’m not today,” said Kah, wiping away tears and trying to regather her composure.

If the racing gods were not smiling down on Kah at Flemington, Holland certainly was. This was the race day – 12 months ago – in which their lives, careers and memories became forever entwined.

Dean Holland after the biggest moment of his career, winning the 2023 Newmarket Handicap.Credit: Getty Images

Kah fell during last year’s Sires Produce and suffered serious head injuries that would keep her sidelined for months. Some feared she would never make it back.

With Kah rushed to hospital that day, Holland was in the right place at the right time. He picked up her Newmarket Handicap ride on the James Cummings-trained In Secret and won his second group 1 race.

But then tragedy struck. Aged 34, he died in a race fall at Donald a month later, leaving behind wife, Lucy, and four young children: Harley, Luca, Lily and Frankie.

On Saturday, back in the saddle and in career-best form, Kah defied the cruel aftermath of last year and won both the Sires Produce and the Newmarket Handicap, on the Cummings-trained pair of Traffic Warden and Cylinder.

Jamie Kah, aboard Cylinder, claims the Newmarket Handicap at Flemington.Credit: Getty Images

Firstly, she acknowledged the magnitude of winning the Sires Produce, saying it “was massive for me, to get through that and have it behind me”.

Winning the Newmarket was something else.

“I think in the last 100 metres I nearly stopped and started crying,” she said of her 12th group 1 victory. “I can’t really remember it.

“This is for Dean Holland. I couldn’t imagine anyone riding that horse as well as he did last year and I felt so happy that I gave him the opportunity to win the Newmarket.

Kah is presented the Dean Holland Trophy by his children.Credit: Getty Images

“Hopefully, he is watching down on us today. I can’t believe that happened. Obviously, it was a horrible day for me last year, but I’m so happy that Dean got to win on that horse. He was an amazing person.

“Today has been amazing and for Godolphin, they have always supported me. Last year I didn’t get the opportunity to win the Newmarket for them, but Dean Holland did which is great.

“It is great to get over last year and start again, and I don’t think any day will top today.”

Lucy Holland and her children sat in the front of the broadcast box as the blue silks of Godolphin flashed down the outside with Kah in the saddle. It was the same colours that propelled their father into the spotlight the year before.

They then moved down to the green grass of the mounting yard to wait for Kah.

After post-race interviews, the superstar jockey, recently engaged to jockey Ben Melham, bent down and shook their hands. She then pulled them together and posed with the winning trophy. It was a beautiful bookend to what had been a devastating 12 months.

News, results and expert analysis from the weekend of sport sent every Monday. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.