As at 1998, he was the most successful reinsman in the history of trotting of New Zealand dating back to the 1860s.
He drove 1666 winners and amassed $2,054,555 in stake money over 49 years.
On his last night at the Alexandra Park Raceway, he drove four winners from eight starters.
He also holds the record for the most wins in the group 1 New Zealand Trotting Derby with 11 outright victories and one dead heat.
In the 1975 New Year Honours, Holmes was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, for services to New Zealand trotting.