National Derby Decimated By Scratchings

RACE favourite Simon Told Helen has been scratched from Friday night's blockbuster Group 1 National Derby Final (520m) at Wentworth Park.

SIMON Told Helen has been scratched from Friday night's Group 1 National Derby Final (520m) at Wentworth Park.

The four time group winner's trainer David Burnett reported that a spider bite which occurred last weekend had left a nasty wound on his right hind leg.

Installed race favourite for Friday night's $75,000 to-the-winner final, the son of Barcia Bale's scratching will see the Jason Mackay-trained Hard Style Rico assume top billing, after qualifying fastest for the race with a sizzling 29.84 heat performance.

The complexion of the Derby took a further hit on Thursday morning with Aston Sapporo also withdrawn from the age-restricted feature.

Trainer Jason Mackay had been working day and night in a bid to have the son of Black Magic Opal ready for the race after injuring himself in last week's heat win.

That bid came up short however.

On race morning, rails runner Here Comes Joe was also scratched from the event and with the second reserve Zipping Vernon also out of the race, leaves just six runners to contest the $75,000 to-the-winner final.

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