Perth Cup Favourite Racing Into Rarefied Air

WITH a decided class advantage on his opposition, Simon Told Helen was earmarked for Perth Cup odds on favouritism the moment he crossed the line for Saturday night's dazzling heat victory.

And while odds on favouritism is still very much in play, bookies have been a little more liberal than initially anticipated, after the son of Barcia Bale drew box seven for the $150,000 to-the-winner finale at Sunday night's gala dinner at Optus Stadium.

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But it's a draw that doesn't worry his trainer David Burnett in the slightest.

"I think he's drawn perfectly in seven – if you look at his record he loves it out there," David Burnett said of his $1.75 favourite.

"He missed it badly on Saturday night but it was his first go out of the Cannington boxes and he was having his first race start for a month so he was very fresh."

The tenacious chasing exploits of Simon Told Helen were on full display at his Cannington debut on Saturday night, taking a needle eye opening to assume the lead in the early stages.

"The run he took to get to the front closed on him before he got to it," explained Burnett.

"But he just opened it straight back up again and barged his way through. To still run 18.20 up the back after that, what do you say."

The usual narrative heading into group 1 finals is to highlight the strength of the field, justified or not.

But the fact is Saturday night's Perth Cup Final isn't your vintage group 1 and while not prepared to say it's his to lose, Burnett declared that his four-time group winner will be all the better for his mightily impressive heat hit out.

"It's a very good group of local dogs that know Cannington well," Burnett said.

"I've had a look at the draw and my dog should get a clear run early providing he steps better. I checked him on Sunday and he's pulled up great. He'll have a couple of free gallops and that will top him off perfectly for Saturday."

At just 25 months of age, Simon Told Helen is a winner at 11 of his 18 starts. His prize money exceeds a quarter-of-a-million dollars.

Included in those wins is a group 1 Silver Chief triumph, a group 2 Queensland Derby success along with two group 3 victories in the Cup Night Sprint at Sandown and Great Chase at The Meadows.

And then there's the what might have been in the Group 1 National Derby when scratched with a spider bite as the race favourite.

If successful in claiming a second group 1 title in Saturday night's Perth Cup the freakishly gifted galloper will have already won group races in three different states as he turns his attention to the Golden Easter Egg in Sydney later this month.

"I know what I've got with him but I won't let myself get caught up in it if that makes sense," Burnett said.

"You can't get ahead of yourself but at 25 months of age the best of him is still ahead. 

"It's scary to think what he'll do if he ever actually gets the start right. It'd be a good time to start Saturday night."

A star on the rise, Simon Told Helen is racing his way into rarefied air at a rate of knots.