Clash of the titans at Sandown Park


They’re two of greyhound racing’s most exciting sprinters and they will meet for the first time at Sandown Park on Thursday night.

Simon Told Helen and Shima Shine – two sons of Australia’s leading sire Barcia Bale – will line up in the first heat of the Victorian National Sprint Championship.

Simon Told Helen is the country’s premier sprinter. A winner of four group 1 races and seven group races in all, Simon Told Helen enters the encounter on a five race Sandown Park winning streak dating back to November last year. Simon Told Helen has won seven and run second three times in 11 starts since resuming from a spell in April, including victories in the group 1 Harrison-Dawson and Maturity.

Shima Shine has been regarded as one of the country’s fastest greyhounds since bursting onto the racing scene in 12 months ago and breaking the Ballarat track record at his seventh career start. He’s endured a number of injury challenges throughout his career, however has won six of his eight starts since resuming in late May including setting the Bendigo track record and the second fastest time ever recorded at Sandown Park.

While they have never met in a race, they did both contest the 2019 TAB Melbourne Cup heats. Simon Told Helen ran second to eventual Cup winner Whiskey Riot, beaten a bit over a length in 29.41. Shima Shine ran second to Campini, beaten a bit over a length in 29.35.

The two dominate the tab.com.au market (Simon Told Helen – $1.65, Shima Shine – $2) and are all but assured of progressing to next week’s final with the first four over the line progressing.

Let us know on Twitter (@sandowndogs) who you think will emerge victorious.

Simon Told Helen and Shima Shine are just two of the drawcards on Thursday evening’s card. Black Opium and Christo Bale head the market in the second Victorian National Sprint Championship heat, the state’s premier stayers (including Mister Harlewood, True Detective and Tornado Tears) will meet in the Victorian National Distance Championship, Tiggerlong Tonk will contest the Free For All, and the mercurial Houdini Boy will step out over 595m again after his breathtaking debut over the distance last week.

Click here for your free Watchdog form guide.

Simon Told Helen vs Shima Shine
‘TAIL’ OF THE TAPE

Simon Told Helen

 Shima Shine

David Burnett

Trainer

Andrea Dailly

31 months

Age

33 months

36.3kg

Weight

36.0kg

30 starts 19-7-0

Overall record

29 starts 18-3-2

$629,035

Prize money

$190,103

9 starts 6-2-0

Sandown record

7 starts 3-2-0

5.03

Best first split

4.93

5.07

Average first split

5.06

18.46

Best second split

18.43

13.4

Best middle section

13.5

10.645

Best run home

10.519

29.105

Best overall

28.949

Mick Floyd
About Mick Floyd - Mick is the Racing and Media Manager at Sandown Park and has 15 years of experience in the sport. He has a finely tuned talent for finding three legs of a quaddie. You can follow his ramblings on Twitter - @mickfloyd
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