Latest News

By John Schell

Warwick Farm trainer Bjorn Baker will look to boost his claims of success in the $3 million Big Dance when Hollywood Hero chases a second straight Coonamble Cup win on Sunday.

Baker has Hollywood Hero set to contest the $75,000 Geronimo – New Holland Coonamble Showcase Gold Cup (1600m) with Kody Nestor taking the ride on the five-year-old winner of four races and more than $330,000 in prizemoney.

Trainer Bjorn Baker (Pic: Bradley Photos).

“He’s a consistent horse and he’s rarely too far from the action,” Baker said of Hollywood Hero, which has been placed in 12 of his 23 starts.

“He ran home really well to finish third in the Dubbo Cup at his latest start and he did come through that race last year before going on to win the Coonamble Cup so the formlines look solid.”

Nestor won the Dubbo Cup aboard Sneak Preview, which will contest the Keady Family Coonamble Showcase Crystal Sprint (1200m) on Sunday with a mammoth 67 kilograms.

“We are very happy to have Kody hop on Hollywood Hero at Coonamble for us,” said Baker.

“He’s a very good jockey and I’m sure he’ll give the horse every chance.”

Hollywood Hero went on to finish second at Randwick after last year’s Coonamble Cup, then ran 10th in the Big Dance when beaten 5.81 lengths behind the Sara Ryan trained Attractable.

“All going well we will get him to the Big Dance again on the first Tuesday in November,” Baker said.

“And if he can get there he can run a really good race if the breaks go his way.”

It will be another Ryan trained runner that will prove hardest for Hollywood Hero to beat at Coonamble, with recent city winner Roma Avenue going around with Aaron Bullock in the saddle.

Roma Avenue was a long-priced winner at Rosehill when second-up from a spell and has since finished third behind the classy Major Beel at Randwick, before a seventh of eight behind subsequent The Metropolitan third placegetter Unusual Legacy at Rosehill.

Last start Warwick Farm winner Ravello is the other favoured Coonamble Cup runner in early the TAB Fixed Odds market.

All the fields, form and replays for Sunday's Coonamble meeting