Racing: Johnston unhappy with Holland

A GLASS of wine with lunch last Sunday could prove to be almost as expensive as a bottle of Chateau Lafite for Darryll Holland, writes Greg Wood.

The jockey failed a pre-race breath test at Malmo two days ago, and was forced to give up two rides as a result. Holland had also arrived at the track too late to partner Gaelic Storm for Mark Johnston in an earlier race.

The trainer said yesterday that he was "disappointed" by the incident. "It is the first time he has missed a ride for me, but it is not the first time we have been waiting for him and panicking,'' Johnston said.

``I am not very happy and I will be considering how much he will be riding for me in future. It depends on his attitude and whether he is going to pull his socks up. He was very unprofessional.''

Holland has ridden 46 winners this year, 21 of them for Johnston, but has also served a 31-day ban under the "totting-up" procedure for riding offences. He has been booked for only one of the trainer's four runners at Ayr today, with Kieren Fallon, Richard Hughes and Joe Fanning picking up the remaining rides. Holland's ride on the Erik Penser-owned Compton Admiral in next week's International Stakes at York could also be in jeopardy.