Burnett's Path To Sydney Gold On Hold

The Golden Easter Egg couldn't come quickly enough for Victorian trainer David Burnett after his superstar sprinter Simon Told Helen brilliantly won the Group 1 Perth Cup Final last Saturday night.

Simon Told Helen was (and remains) TAB's all-in favourite for the Golden Easter Egg; however Burnett now has to cool his heels and map an alternate route after NSW's most prestigious race was this week postponed due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

The Easter Egg, which was due to commence in its traditional three-week format next Saturday (March 28), has been rescheduled to a two-week series to be run on May 30 and June 6.

Burnett spoke to The Recorder on Thursday night as he prepared to board a plane bringing Simon Told Helen home from Western Australia, with immediate and longer term plans for the dual Group 1 winner up in the air.

"With the Easter Egg coming up I had decided to leave him over in Western Australia for another week to keep him away from the virus in Victoria," Burnett explained.

"He needed another run so I had him in a free for all at Cannington this Saturday night and then into the Easter Egg heats next weekend.

"But now with the Easter Egg being postponed he'll be scratched from Saturday's race and I'm bringing him home tonight (Thursday).

"We were primed for the Easter Egg. Another run on Saturday into a three-week series would've been perfect but they've made the right decision and hopefully in two months things will be getting back to normal.

"I haven't really looked at what else might be coming up. He's still eligible for the Maturity and there's Brisbane as well, so there's quite a lot on around the middle of the year."

Simon Told Helen heads TAB's Golden Easter Egg market at $7.

The change in date could work in Burnett's favour and see him add a second serious contender to his arsenal in Simon Told Helen's litter brother Who Told Stevie, which has been sidelined by injury since January 18.

Who Told Stevie is on the fourth line of Easter Egg betting at $11.

"Stevie rolled a front wrist in the heats of the Paws Of Thunder and he's had a spell," Burnett said.

"He's had four weeks on the walking machine and is galloping now. I'd say he's still at least six weeks away from racing. 

"Patience, patience! 

"He's too good a dog to take any risks with and the other dog (Simon Told Helen) is flying, so there's no need to rush him."

While Burnett's Easter Egg aspirations have been temporarily put on hold, he'll be chasing feature victories in consecutive weekends when Snags McKenzie lines up in Saturday night's Group 2 CKH Painting Shepparton Cup Final (450m).

After being edged out in his heat, Snags McKenzie is a $23 outsider in TAB's Shepparton Cup market after drawing awkwardly in six.

"He's been in five country cups and can't get an inside draw," Burnett offered.

"He's only drawn the red three times in his 57 starts and he's won all three.

"He's a great little second-stringer and a really reliable dog but he can't win from box six. If he's able to get across onto the rails, where he needs to be, then he'll drag Whiskey Riot (7) and Hard Style Rico (8) across with him."