Speed sensation Simon Told Helen will be Victoria’s ‘lone ranger’ in next weeks’ Group 2 Queensland Derby (520m) at Albion Park.
Trained by David Burnett, Simon Told Helen (Box 6) blitzed his rivals in a heat on Thursday night, clocking a fast 29.83sec.
And he’s drawn perfectly (Box 8) in the final, and has been installed a $1.75 pre-post favourite, in his quest for the $40,000 first prize.
Burnett couldn’t have been more accurate in his pre-heat assessment, saying “he can put lengths on a field from the first to second sections”.
He’s also astutely placed the G3 Great Chase and G3 Cup Night Sprint winner Simon Told Helen, bypassing the G2 Ballarat Cup series in preference to a Brisbane assignment.
“It’s always been the plan to head north for an age-restricted feature, rather than tackle more seasoned campaigners… And there’s only $7000 difference in the first prize,” Burnett said.
Simon Told Helen will attempt to emulate Victorian counterparts Hello Good Bye (2013), Dyna Villa (2015) and Sennachie (May 2019) as Queensland Derby winners. (NB. The Brisbane GRC has conducted two of these events this year due to changes in the feature race calendar across the financial year and the emergence of a new Queensland ‘Summer Racing Carnival’).
Meanwhile, the Adam Richardson-trained Mepunga Isla – Victoria’s sole representative in the heats of the G2 Bogie Leigh Futurity (520m) – could only manage fifth and missed a berth in the final.
