# Free Holmes

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{{Short description|New Zealand jockey (1871–1967)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox horseracing personality
|name  = Freeman Wright Holmes
|honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=NZL|size=85%}}
|image= 
|caption  = 
|occupation  = [Jockey](/source/Jockey)
|fullname = Freeman Wright Holmes
|birth_place = [Ashburton](/source/Ashburton%2C_New_Zealand), [South Canterbury](/source/South_Canterbury), New Zealand
|birth_date  = {{Birth date|1871|06|06|df=y}}
|death_date  = {{Death date and age|1967|02|21|1871|06|06|df=y}}
}}
'''Freeman Wright Holmes''' (6 June 1871&ndash;21 February 1967), better known as '''Free Holmes''' was an outstanding horse man who was involved with both thoroughbred and standardbred racing. He was born in [Ashburton](/source/Ashburton%2C_New_Zealand), [South Canterbury](/source/South_Canterbury), [New Zealand](/source/New_Zealand).<ref name="DNZB Holmes">{{DNZB|title=Freeman Wright Holmes|first= Ron|last= Bisman|id=3h33|accessdate=23 April 2017}}</ref>

He is notable for being both a champion driver and formerly a champion jockey. He won a unique double of the [New Zealand Cup](/source/New_Zealand_Cup) in 1888 for thoroughbreds, at [Riccarton](/source/Riccarton_Race_Course), riding Manton, and in 1919 driving Trix Pointer to win the [NZ Trotting Cup](/source/NZ_Trotting_Cup) at the [Addington Raceway](/source/Addington_Raceway).<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.addington.co.nz/timeline.asp?Case=1&ID=1919 |title=Unique double for Free Holmes |access-date=2009-05-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081016124908/http://www.addington.co.nz/Timeline.asp?Case=1&ID=1919 |archive-date=2008-10-16 |url-status=dead }}</ref>  As a jockey, he also won the 1894 [Grand National Hurdles](/source/Grand_National_Hurdles_(New_Zealand)) and 1895 [Great Northern Hurdles](/source/Great_Northern_Hurdles) and [Great Northern Steeplechase](/source/Great_Northern_Steeplechase) with Liberator.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://live.harnesslink.com/www/Article.cgi?ID=61988 |title=Free Holmes jockey and driver |access-date=2009-05-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110820041843/http://live.harnesslink.com/www/Article.cgi?ID=61988 |archive-date=2011-08-20 |url-status=dead }}</ref> 
He was also an expert in the management of thoroughbred horses. He successfully trained and owned horses both over the fences and on the flat.

He was known as "The Grand Old Man of Trotting".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://harnesslink.com/new-zealand/a-z-new-zealand-cup-t/|title=A - Z New Zealand Cup : T - Harnesslink|date=3 November 2020}}</ref> and "Old Free" in the trotting fraternity. He also rode and drove trotters.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.addington.co.nz/|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081017235841/http://www.addington.co.nz/Timeline.asp?Case=6&ItemId=273&AlphaId=14&CategoryId=1|url-status=dead|title=The Home of NZ Harness Racing|archivedate=17 October 2008|website=Addington Raceway & Events Centre}}</ref>   He won two [Auckland Trotting Cup](/source/Auckland_Trotting_Cup)s.  

His son [Maurice Holmes](/source/Maurice_Holmes_(harness_racer)) was also a driving legend.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hrnz.co.nz/news/who-is-maurice-holmes/|title=Who is Maurice Holmes?|website=www.hrnz.co.nz}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.odt.co.nz/sport/racing/racing-holmes-achieves-goals-first-two-winners|title=Racing: Holmes achieves goals with first two winners|first=Tayler|last=Strong|date=8 June 2011|website=[Otago Daily Times](/source/Otago_Daily_Times) }}</ref>

==Major wins==
''Standardbreds''
* 1936 [Inter Dominion Pacing Championship](/source/Inter_Dominion_Pacing_Championship) Evicus
* 1935 [Auckland Trotting Cup](/source/Auckland_Trotting_Cup) Graham Direct
* 1934 [Auckland Trotting Cup](/source/Auckland_Trotting_Cup) Roi L'Or
* 1932 [New Zealand Free For All](/source/New_Zealand_Free_For_All) Roi L'Or
* 1922 [New Zealand Free For All](/source/New_Zealand_Free_For_All) Trix Pointer
* 1919 [New Zealand Trotting Cup](/source/New_Zealand_Trotting_Cup) Trix Pointer

''Thoroughbreds''
* 1895 [Great Northern Steeplechase](/source/Great_Northern_Steeplechase) Liberator 
* 1895 [Great Northern Hurdles](/source/Great_Northern_Hurdles) Liberator 
* 1894 [Great Northern Hurdles](/source/Great_Northern_Hurdles) Liberator 
* 1888 [New Zealand Cup](/source/New_Zealand_Cup) Manton 
* 1888 [New Zealand Derby](/source/New_Zealand_Derby) Manton

==See also==
* [Harness racing in New Zealand](/source/Harness_racing_in_New_Zealand)
* [Thoroughbred racing in New Zealand](/source/Thoroughbred_racing_in_New_Zealand)

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Holmes, Free}}
Category:1871 births
Category:1967 deaths
Category:New Zealand jockeys
Category:New Zealand racehorse owners and breeders
Category:Sportspeople from Ashburton, New Zealand
Category:New Zealand harness racers
Category: New Zealand racehorse trainers

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Free Holmes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_Holmes) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_Holmes?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.