He was installed as favourite for the TAB Million Dollar Chase when markets first opened, and Victorian star Simon Told Helen took his first step towards the October 16 grand final at Temora on Sunday night, and that step was anything but tentative.
When the boxes opened it was only a matter of strides before Simon Told Helen went up a gear and powered to the lead, rapidly racing away from his rivals, and before the field was out of the back straight it was only about times and margins.
At the finishing line the time was a fast 25.83s, and the margin, seven lengths over his kennelmate Snags Mckenzie. Locally trained pair Alamo Joe and Maximum Refusal finished third and fourth and booked berths in the final next weekend.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, it was an unconventional preparation for the David Burnett-trained greyhounds, with all three of his runners – Who Told Stevie who would also qualify for the Regional Final in the other heat - heading to Temora from Geelong on Sunday morning with a courier, being delivered to a handler, racing in their events, then making the return trip home.
It will be a similar story next Saturday when all three return to Temora having all qualified for the Regional Final. Finish in the first three there, and they are off to Wentworth Park for the semi-finals of the event on October 9, one win away from a place in the grand final a week later, and a shot at the cheque for $1 million.
“The day actually went really well, better than planned which was good,” Burnett said on Sunday night. “They left home at 8am, were at the border by 12pm, and there were only four or five cars in front of him (the courier) at the border. They had the documents scanned, and were straight through, so they got to Temora in reasonable time.
“The courier is now waiting at the motel for the swabs to be done, and then they will be loading them in the car and be home at about 3.30am. I’ll take them to get checked tomorrow, and to the vet on Tuesday, and we’ll do it all again for the final.
“It was pleasing that they all got through. It can be a tough ask going to a country track and the local dogs know the track, and it all could go pear-shaped, and it still could next week, but they will be better for the run and better for the look at the track.
“It was pleasing to see Simon Told Helen in front from boxrise, and like I said they all got through which is the main thing.”
While he is locally owned and now domiciled around 100km down the road at Oura, Keenando has spend the past six months racing in Victoria with Deb Coleman, but having returned to the kennels of Shannon Ellis a week ago, he managed to cause an minor upset in the opening heat.
Having his first start at Temora, Keenando - a litter brother of Maximum Refusal - took full advantage of the rails’ draw, spearing to the lead on boxrise and refusing to surrender to the more favoured pair, Got To Casino who finished ¼ lengths away in second with odds-on favourite Who Told Stevie a close up third, with the winner clocking a handy 26.06s. The trio all advance to the Regional Final next week, as does the fourth place Rivergum Road.
“Myself and a group of mates bred the litter and I pre-trained them all around Wagga, and started them off, but then they needed 500m and it saved me travelling, so I sent them down to Rob Camilleri and Deb Coleman,” Ellis said.
“They are good little dogs. Keenando broke in the slowest of them, and he’s probably ended up being the best out of the litter.
“He ran some good races around Sandown and The Meadows for Deb and Rob, and he’s turned into a good little dog.
“I think Maximum Refusal was a bit dour in that second section, and I think he will be more of a 600m dog, but they both got through to the final and that was the big thing.”
The final of the Temora series will be next Saturday and the box draw is: 1 Got To Casino 2 Rivergum Road 3 Who Told Stevie 4 Keenando 5 Snags McKenzie 6 Alamo Joe 7 Simon Told Helen 8 Maximum Refusal 9 Double Active 10 Ultimate Speed.
