Racing: Cheersforhollywood seeks top billing in city

Photo / Richard Robinson

SYDNEY - Country-based Luke Pepper will be out to claim his second city winner as a trainer with a horse that means plenty to him at Canterbury today.

Cheersforhollywood, a horse named after Pepper's late brother Greg who was nicknamed Hollywood, will shoot for his fourth straight win and first city victory in the Winning Post Restaurant Handicap (1250m).

Pepper trains a team of eight horses at Moruya on the NSW south coast and prepared his first city winner when Panderelle won the PJ Bell Country Championship at Randwick in June. Panderelle was retired without having another race and Cheersforhollywood will be the 30-year-old trainer's first Sydney runner since.

He started his run with victory in a Moruya 3YO Country Plate (1200m) last month and that was followed by a class one win at the Sapphire Coast and a three-length class two victory over 1200m on heavy ground at Canberra on October 15.

"I wouldn't be bringing him up if I didn't think he was a winning chance," Pepper said yesterday.

"It's a bit hard to line up the form but I know the horse is going good and he handles the give in the ground.

"He won on a heavy track last start, he thrives in the wet, and I wouldn't say this is an easy race by any means."

Canterbury was rated a slow (7) yesterday, after 32mm of rain fell at the track in the past week.

Cheersforhollywood will be ridden by Corey Brown who also partnered Panderelle to victory at Randwick.

"That's the only time he's ever ridden for me before and it's great to have him on," Pepper said.

- AAP