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  • Friday, 13 Dec, 2019,
  • by Peter Quilty

It’s simple for ‘Simon’

Flying machine Simon Told Helen notched his third group win with an unadulterated display of sheer speed in last night’s Group 2 Queensland Derby (520m) at Albion Park.

Employing his trademark catch-me-if-you-can tactics, Simon Told Helen (Box 8) set up a massive lead in the middle stages to ensure the $40,000 first prize was returning to Victoria.

Simon Told Helen ($1.35F) defeated local hopes Cooper Dooper ($31) by two lengths, with Farmor Fearsome ($26) six and three-quarter lengths away third in a slick 29.65sec.

Trained at Little River by David Burnett, Simon Told Helen also has the G3 Great Chase and G3 Cup Night Sprint ‘sitting on the mantelpiece’. He’s registered eight wins from 13 starts, with stakes totalling $154,065.

WATCH: Simon Told Helen (8) dash away with the G2 Queensland Derby.

“I’m stoked for the young pup, he just keeps doing everything right,” Burnett told Racing Queensland following the race.

“He’s a pleasure to train, and it’s a pleasure to have him in the kennels. The owners aren’t very happy with the odds they’re getting, but they’re living with the spoils of winning the race. The week we’ve had is fantastic and we’ve got a dog for a long time to come that’s going to keep them going.”

Simon Told Helen represents the first leg of a potential two-state G2 double within 48 hours for Burnett. His kennelmate, Snags McKenzie, is engaged in tomorrow night’s $47,000-to-the-winner Ballarat Cup (450m).

Peter QuiltyPeter Quilty

Peter Quilty

Peter Quilty has more than three decades of experience as assistant editor of Victorian Greyhound Weekly. He was editor of GRV monthly magazine The Adviser (2001-09) and owner/publisher of Australian Greyhound Monthly. He also served on the selection panel for the inaugural GRV ‘Hall of Fame’ inductees and for several years was an adjudicator on the Victorian GOTY. He’s also published greyhound racing yearbooks and wrote the ‘Bold Trease’ video script.

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