Simon All Set To Take Flight At Stud

SOMEONE once declared “it's a face only a mother could love”.

The pronounced “roman nose” sported by that most dominant of race dogs Simon Told Helen, he of the Australian greyhound of the year honour, is certainly a standout feature of the wonderful son of Barcia Bale and Who Told Lindylou.

But, after a race career of 48 starts for 26 wins, 15 placings and $912,000 in stakes, EVERYONE loves Simon Told Helen … roman nose or not.

Along the way he was the dominant sprinter of his time, blessed with a stud dog's blinding first, and then back straight pace, the equal of the very best and better than most.

When it was decided Simon Told Helen should retire to stud, broodbitch owners to a man would have been rubbing their hands together in anticipation.

That anticipation would no doubt include a few pups carrying the roman nose, but even more hopefully … the ability of their old man, and what ability it was.

He is the winner of the G1 Silver Chief, G1 Perth Cup, G1 Harrison Dawson, G1 Maturity, G2 Qld Derby, G2 Geelong Cup, G3 Great Chase and G3 Cup Night Sprint. 

He was second in the G1 Topgun, G1 Melbourne Cup, G1 Dapto Megastar, G2 Warrnambool Cup and G3 Silver Bullet and a finalist in the G1 Temlee and G1 Brisbane Cup. 

He made 16 Group finals.

No one hit wonder, his litter brother Who Told Stevie (13 wins, $89,000) was second in the G3 Great Chase and a finalist in the G1 Silver Chief and G1 Brisbane Cup but tragically died last year. 

Simon Told Helen can run and run spectacularly fast.

His winning times included 29.74 at Cannington, 29.60 at The Meadows, 29.65 at Albion Park, 29.11 at Sandown, a near TR 29.36 at Dapto, and 24.98 at Warrnambool as a pup. 

It's no wonder he was Australian greyhound of the year and a front runner to win the award again.

Most high class race dogs retire to stud with lots less credentials from the racetrack than a Simon Told Helen. It is a huge credit for his trainer, the hugely likeable Dave Burnett, that he was kept sound, keen and consistent throughout his career.

Simon Told Helen is bred on the same Barcia Bale/Cosmic Rumble cross as multiple Group winner Circle Of Dreams. 

His dam, Who Told Lindylu, was a Meadows winner and sister to classy Who Told Red (12 wins, $54,000) and Cosmic Spur (15 wins). She was bred to be a broodbitch success, hugely in-bred to the famed Wee Sal family. 

Her dam Who Told Helen (13 wins, $84,000) was 3rd in the G1 Sandown Laurels and a finalist in the G3 The Dawson. 

It is the direct damline of the fine broodbitch Cleven Vixen and traces to Tarbert Queen a litter sister to Tempix Image (Silver Chief, 2nd Nat Sprint). 

This is the same direct damline as the legendary Osti Lee family, tracing to the famous Little Gorgeous the dam of WPK Gold Cup winner Fantasy Lady and Sydney Cup runner-up Osti Too the latter now in the Hall of Fame. Champion sires Where's Pedro and Hallucinate are in-bred to the Osti Lee family.

Simon Told Helen retires to stud right at the right time, save for a few Group 1 targets which could have lured him on for another month or two.

That's because he is ideally suited to bitches by Fernando Bale to provide numerous proven “nicks” and crosses. 

With the success of Fernando Bale at stud, the now proven cross he has with Barcia Bale, then Simon Told Helen will be going to stud with a plethora of broodbitches waiting to be mated to him.

They are everywhere.

AND, Fernando Bale mated a daughter of Cosmic Rumble (damsire of Simon) to produce G1 National Sprint winner West On Augie. 

If Simon Told Helen never mated another bitch, other than daughters of Fernando Bale, it would not matter for his stud career. It is a doubly proven recipe and one that must be undertaken.

But Simon is also ideally suited to many other bloodlines.

He also suits daughters of Zambora Brockie, My Bro Fabio, Worm Burner, the Spanish Dance family, Fabregas, KC And All, Kinloch Brae etc etc.

Brockie daughters, like Fernando bitches, are an absolute MUST for Simon.

Most of Brockie's best progeny are out of daughters of Barcia Bale or Magic Sprite, and almost all of the best have a powerful reinforcement of the litter brothers Trendy Leigh and Brett Lee.

Remember, too, that Simon's mother Who Told Lindylou is hugely in-bred to Brett Lee and No Intent, their mothers being litter sisters.

Putting daughters of Brockie to Simon will reinforce this most famous of families and continue the proven themes proving highly successful with Brockie … but in reverse.

Bitches by Magic Sprite and especially Worm Burner, bred almost identically to Fernando Bale, are suited for Simon. 

Remember too that Fabregas traces directly to the same female family as Simon, thus his daughters will also be suited in matings to him.

My Bro Fabio daughters will add strength for him, and daughters of KC And All, in a bid to recreate Orson Allen, will also be ideal.

There are numerous ways to mate to Simon Told Helen with the hope of achieving the success broodbitch owners seek.

If that means having to look at a very, very fast race dog by Simon, one that carries a roman nose … then so be it!