Hollywood High gave an Academy Award performance to celebrate Aaron Bain Racing’s association with the world-famous Angaston Park training complex.
The four-year-old mare was the first runner to come off the property for the training partnership of Aaron Bain and Ned Taylor.
Ironically, Hollywood High is owned by Pipeliner Pty Ltd, the racing company of businessman Wayne Mitchell who owns Angaston Park.
A drifter from $7 to $8.50, Hollywood High jumped to the front in the Dutton’s Easy To Do Business With!! Maiden (1100m) for rider Ben Price and was never headed in an impressive 2-3/4 length win from Duchess Of Sussex ($6.50) with Halliwell ($4.40) a head away third.
The daughter of top stallion Nicconi started her career in Victoria but was transferred to Aaron Bain and Ned Taylor after having run seconds at two starts at Ballarat.
An emotional Aaron Bain said Hollywood High’s win was a perfect start to Aaron Bain Racing’s involvement with Angaston Park.
“It was meant to be that Wayne Mitchell, who owns Angaston Park, races the mare,” Bain said.
“It is an absolute honour to be training horses at Angaston Park which started out as Lindsay Park for the Hayes family.
“Wayne has done an amazing job to restore the property into a magnificent training facility and to start with a winner first up is a perfect start.
“The first group of our horses to be prepared at Angaston Park in early July were starting their preparations but Hollywood High was race fit when she arrived last month.
“Thanks to Wayne (Mitchell) for giving us the opportunity to train Hollywood High and thanks for Tony & Calvin (McEvoy) for sending her across in fantastic condition.
“Ben (jockey Ben Price) came up to Angaston Park and rode her work last Friday.
“She worked with our smart galloper Mighty Sapphire which came out and trialled very well on Thursday, so we had good hopes she would run well today. Winning jockey Ben Price said Hollywood High had been super impressive.
“She is a pretty bombproof mare,” Price said.
“We had a lovely run in transit, and she gave me a lovely kick at the top of the
straight.
“She actually had a good look (at the winning post) over the last 100 metres.
“If something had have got to me I think she would have found at little bit more, she definitely felt like that underneath me.
“The last little bit she was looking for a challenge, but nothing came so that is a good result.
“She is going to win more races, that’s for sure.”