Burnett's Boom Brothers In Great Battle

"Simon leads, Stevie wins," is David Burnett's succinct prediction ahead of Wednesday afternoon's Group 3 TAB Great Chase (525m) at The Meadows.

Burnett appears to have the $47,000 to-the-winner Great Chase at his mercy with brilliant young litter brothers Simon Told Helen and Who Told Stevie dominating the market after setting The Meadows alight in last Wednesday's semi-finals.

The 21-month-old siblings, by recently deceased super sire Barcia Bale out of Who Told Lindylu, have both started their careers in stunning fashion, with Who Told Stevie winning five of his six starts and Simon Told Helen four from six.

Who Told Stevie was the first to strut his stuff in the Great Chase semi-finals and started $1.60 favourite from box two in the second of six qualifiers.

Making his second appearance at The Meadows, having clocked a flying 29.93s at his very first race start on September 11, Who Told Stevie was slow to begin but showed great acceleration to lead on the first turn.

Who Told Stevie opened up a decisive advantage in the back straight and careered away in the home straight, trouncing $2.60 second elect Revelation by 7.47 lengths in a gobsmacking best of day 29.65s.

That was an extremely tough act to follow for Simon Told Helen, which started $1.50 favourite from box eight in the third semi, but he made an excellent fist of it.

Simon Told Helen crossed effortlessly to the front from the outside alley courtesy of a 4.99 first section, and it was one-way traffic from that point as he toyed with his rivals en route to a runaway 14.30 length victory, stopping the clock at 29.73s.

"They're fair dogs," quipped Burnett.

"They came back from the breakers as good as any pups I've had and they've kept finding lengths.

"Who Told Stevie has gone from 29.93s to 29.65s at The Meadows in four weeks. Who runs 29.65s at The Meadows after six starts?

"When Kiss Me Ketut (Burnett's 2013 Brisbane Cup winner and Melbourne Cup finalist) ran 29.77s at The Meadows, which is about what
Simon Told Helen ran last Wednesday, he was winning a heat of the Australian Cup.

"Trying to keep them apart is a nice problem to have. Wednesday will be the first time they've raced against each other and they've had six starts each."

While Who Told Stevie had the edge on qualifying times, TAB has installed Simon Told Helen as the $1.60 favourite for the $47,000 to-the-winner finale after he drew box two, with Who Told Stevie at a generous $3.90 from trap six.

However; the person who knows the boom duo best doesn't agree.

"Simon leads, Stevie wins," was Burnett's appraisal.

"That's the way the form reads, that's where the speed is.

"Stevie is the faster dog; he's always been the faster dog.

"They're totally different dogs. Simon has got the early pace and splits and Stevie has the strength. The first two steps out of the boxes is probably their only little problem."

If things go according to plan for Burnett in the Great Chase – and it would take a very brave judge to suggest it won't – the Little River-based mentor will then be chasing his second feature victory for the week in Friday night's Group 2 Geelong Gold Cup (460m).

Burnett will have his first ever finalist in his local Cup in Snags McKenzie, a $9 chance with TAB after running a close second in his heat to John Barbara's fastest qualifier Runnin' Royalty, beaten .76 of a length in a best of night 25.48s.

"I've never had a runner in the Geelong Cup so I'm looking forward to it. It would be nice to win it," said Burnett.