Racing: Bettor take note - There may be a Twist in the tale for Lifes A Beach

Bettor Twist (outer) winning at Alexandra Park. Photo / Trish Dunell

He is one of New Zealand's astute harness trainers but Tony Barron knows there is something missing from his CV and he hopes Lifes A Beach is the horse to fill that gap.

The exciting filly could make the most of a frontline draw in tonight's $120,000 Nevele R Fillies Final at Addington in which she comes up against Bettor Twist.

The latter will start a hot favourite and was too good for Lifes A Beach when they last met here last month but tonight Barron's filly could have the advantage and she has beaten the favourite before.

Lifes A Beach is drawn to start from barrier five, while Bettor Twist and fellow favoured fillies The Honey Queen and La Rosa all start on the second line.

"I think that is a huge help to us," says Barron.

"My filly has not had the opportunity to show much gate speed in the past because she hasn't had the right draws but she has to go forward to at least stay in front of those good fillies.

"She will have the gate speed when needed because she used to fly the gate at the trials but we actually had to work on her to come back to us and relax more. So she will go forward and maybe Bettor Twist will be good enough to come and beat us but we have to make a race of it."

Lifes A Beach was luckless when second to another race rival tonight in Bettor Talk Art when that filly won the Southland Oaks last start, and she could also be a value play for place punters at least as she also has a good draw.

Even if Lifes A Beach can't win tonight, Barron knows he has the Oaks next week and then the Harness Jewels so three cracks in a month at Group 1 glory.

"I have never trained a Group 1 winner and obviously I'd love to so she at least gives us a chance."

The biggest hurdle for Lifes A Beach over the coming weeks may be that while she has improved lately so, too, has Bettor Twist.

Already the best pacing filly in the country, Bettor Twist seems to be hitting the line even harder in recent starts and may be on the verge of becoming a pacing superstar.

Add in Bettor Talk Art, The Honey Queen, Off N Gone, Darling Me, La Rosa and the emerging Allamericanlover and it looks a wonderful crop to contest those three Group 1 races over the next four weeks.

Best Bets

Best bet: Shan Noble (R5, No 6) - Tough and fast three-year-old who stable believe is their better chance over second-favourite Pace N Pride. Likely to be hard to beat.

The anchor: Highgrove (R6, No 5) - Backing juvenile trotters can be a minefield but the big fella seems pretty safe and smashed most of his rivals last start.

Be careful race: Chase Auckland (R3, No 6) - returns and is no doubt the best pacer at the meeting but has been off the scene with a near career-ending injury for over a year. As good as he is, two fit, hard-running horses in South Coast Arden (3) and Fabrizio (4) might be too ready for him.

Stand up time: Akuta (R11, No 6) - Akuta looks well placed. Two scratchings inside him bring him into barrier four and if he can work across to the lead it will take a good horse to catch him.