Fresh off his win in Saturday night's Wagga Pacers Cup, the Trevor White trained Hollywood Sign is set to compete in this Saturday night's Cordina Farms Young Pacing Cup. Hollywood Sign has gone to a new level this season and part owner and former trainer David White is enjoying watching him compete from the other side of the Tasman now that he is based in New Zealand.
"I stayed up on Saturday night to watch him race at Wagga and I was very pleased to see him win, Trevor (White, trainer and David's uncle) has got him flying at the moment and I thought the effort was really good because he didn't get too much peace early," White said.
"It is going to be harder again this week at Young by the looks of it but he is so much stronger this season, I'm thinking of making the trip back to Australia this weekend to watch him but I will just have to wait and see if I can get back as the weekend gets closer."
Hollywood Sign went to the sales as a yearling for breeder Tim Phillips and after being passed in was offered to Trevor and David.
"Trevor and I had gone to have a look at him at the sales and when he didn't sell I went and spoke to Tim and asked what he was going to do with him and he then offered Trevor and I the opportunity to lease him so we jumped at the opportunity."
"A mate of mine Matt Peden was looking for a horse at the time too so we offered him a share in the horse and that's how it all started."
When Hollywood Sign's career began in 2012, David was the trainer.
"I trained him for the first year and a half, then when I moved to work with Blake Fitzpatrick he was transferred into Trevor's name, he came down and had a couple of runs at Menangle last year and I think that is the reason he has improved so much, those runs have toughened him up mentally."
"He's the first horse I have owned and I'm really enjoying the ride we are having with him at the moment."
David is currently enjoying his time working in New Zealand for Graham and Paul Court, the pair who train the three time NZ Cup winner Terror To Love.
"I'm enjoying my time over here and have been able to learn a lot about training horses, I have also done a lot of farrier work too, it has been a very educational experience for me."
"I haven't done a lot of driving over here but I knew that would be the case when I made the decision to come."
David believes Hollywood Sign has improved fifteen or twenty metres this season under his uncle's training.
"As a two year old he competed in some nice races but was always just a little bit below the best ones, he is a lot tougher now and I think he is ready to take on metropolitan racing again."
"Trevor will make that decision but Hollywood Sign got grabbed late on a couple of occasions running 1:55.0 at Menangle last year, I think he will be able to go quicker than that now."
Since resuming from a spell Hollywood Sign has won five of his six starts with his only defeat coming in the Albury Cup when he finished third.
"It's been a good run and I'm hoping it can continue but this weekend will be his toughest test this campaign."
Greg Hayes | Media Coordinator | Harness Racing New South Wales |