Hard Work Paying off for comeback King Holt

Heavy weight jockey Aidan Holt took his comeback to race riding to a
new level with a hat-trick of wins at Cluden Park on Tuesday.
The impressive treble on Ellis Beach, the classy Northern Pride and
Hartshorn continued a hot run of form for the 30-year-old hoop who has
kicked home eight winners from his past 15 rides.
“I said this morning this was probably the best book of rides I’ve had in
years,” Holt said after claiming the first three races on the seven-event
card.
He says the key to his success this time around, after numerous past
comebacks, has been discipline with diet and engaging a manager.
“This is definitely the best run I’ve had in years.
“I’ve got a manager now – Mick Hughes – and he’s doing a good job.
“Having the horses at the stables with Georgie it’s very hard to chase the
rides yourself, but it’s been good since he’s taken over.
“With my weight I’ve just managed it a lot better and this is the longest
I’ve ridden continuously for a long time.
“It took me 10 years to have 600 rides and I’ve had a couple of hundred
rides since I’ve been back and it’s not even a year.
“I’ve obviously stuck with it a lot longer than in the past where I’d get on
a run and then I’d just have had enough of the wasting.
“But this time and I’m going good.
“That’s my third career treble. I’ve ridden plenty of doubles because
most of the time I’d only get two rides because of weight.”
Holt will stick to a lean diet this week to get down to 57kgto ride stable
youngster Better Blitzem for wife Georgie in Saturday’s Pallarenda
Stakes for two-year-olds.
But that’s as light as he wants to go and says 58kg is a more sustainable
mark that he prefers.
In the meantime Holt’s enjoying a renewed zest for the profession which
has always been a struggle.

“I obviously didn’t expect it to go this well. There’s a handful of good
riders who get the top rides and I just didn’t expect any to be coming my
way,” Holt said.
”To be honest I was just as happy riding in the bush and there’s a few
places on my few bucket list where I want to go before I pull the pin.
“I don’t know why but I just want to do Mt Isa. Every time you see them
on Facebook the club and everyone out there seem to really love their
racing.
“I like going to the bush. There’s always a jockey shortage somewhere
and it helps the trainers get a run.”