Gifted litter brothers Simon Told Helen and Who Told Stevie ran one-two in today’s Group 3 TAB Great Chase Grand Final (525m) at The Meadows, living up to their lofty expectations.
More than 500 people from 50 community organisations around the state attended the day, including Rangeview Nursing Home, who made the six-hour round trip from Wangaratta and walked away with the top prize of $10,000 for being randomly matched to Simon Told Helen earlier in the day.
The 21-month-old sons of Barcia Bale and Who Told Lindylu were level-pegging around the first bend, before $1.70Fav Simon Told Helen’s superior mid-race speed saw him skip to a two-length lead down the back straight, before holding off the fast-finishing Who Told Stevie ($4.10) to win by a head in 30.01sec.
The time was somewhat slower than their phenomenal semi-final wins a week earlier, in which Simon Told Helen clocked 29.78sec and Who Told Stevie scored in a Best of Day 29.65sec.
“It always helps when you’re out in front,” Little River trainer David Burnett said of Simon Told Helen.
“Everyone kept asking me all week what’s going to happen, and I think I called a dead-heat. There was a head between them at the finish which was about as close as you could get to a dead-heat.”
Simon Told Helen has now won five of his seven starts, with the $47,000 first prize taking his total earnings beyond $70,000, while Who Told Stevie has also won five from seven.
The pair were bred and are owned by the Emma’s Boys Syndicate, which is headed by Brian Parsons of Grovedale.
Burnett added: “He (Simon Told Helen) has always split well and I trialled him here a couple of weeks ago and he ran 19.51sec to the back which was really good. But he has surprised me with the way he keeps on improving.”
Burnett plans to target the age-restricted racing circuit over the coming months with the dynamic duo, which may include some interstate travel before the Group 1 Silver Chief at The Meadows in December.
Race caller James Van de Maat described Simon Told Helen as potentially the most talented greyhound to ever win the TAB Great Chase post race, while Burnett vowed to take his star for a visit to Wangaratta to visit Rangeview Nursing Home sometime in the future.
Burnett’s big week continues with the Group 2 Geelong Gold Cup Final on Friday night, in which he has Snags McKenzie drawn in Box 2.
