Racing: Leading filly might have rival covered in feature

Bettor Cover Lover. Photo / Greg Bowker

Bettor Cover Lover will find herself in unfamiliar territory at the start of today's $160,000 Sires' Stakes Championship at Alexandra Park but she should end up in a place she knows well - the winner's circle.

The glamour filly has a huge advantage over arch-rival Carabella in the 2200m event after she drew barrier two, whereas Carabella will start from the second line.

That will guarantee Bettor Cover Lover hot favouritism, even though she has virtually no experience at starting from good barriers and, therefore, little exposed gated speed.

Bettor Cover Lover has drawn inside barrier five only once in her nine-start career and that, ironically, saw her fall to one of her only two career defeats.

However, trainer-driver Brent Mangos says he is more than happy to take advantage of the barrier today.

"We don't have much experience from good barriers with her but she is good enough to use it," said Mangos.

"She is a very clean pacer and a couple of times at the workouts when I have asked her to leave the gate she has been very fast."

That being the case, Bettor Cover Lover should be able to work forward to dominate today's group one, especially with few of the other favoured runners drawn on the front line.

Bettor Cover Lover was a brave third to Carabella last time they met but she had to sit parked while the winner led, this time those roles look set to be reversed.

"She [Carabella] is very good so she won't be easy to beat but I am happy with where we are at."

Carabella has won against older mares easily since the last time the pair clashed on December 10 but Bettor Cover Lover has been kept ticking over with an easy workout win at Pukekohe last week.

There appears to be very little between the two superstar fillies and if Carabella can come from behind Bettor Cover Lover and beat her today she will land a major physiological blow for the rest of the season.

It is hard to envisage that as Bettor Cover Lover is truly exceptional at her best, as she showed with her brutal Harness Jewels win in June.

Those looking for value could get it on the place tote with Bettor Move It, who was stunning winning at huge odds last start.

While she won't pay the same today she could still boost trifectas and provide place value because of her wide second-line draw.

However, Ricky May hasn't given up on Carabella remaining unbeaten.

Despite, the exceptional filly facing a horror draw May says he still thinks the Canterbury filly can down the Pukekohe star.

"It won't be easy but I am not giving up yet," he said.

"When we beat her three weeks ago I was sure my filly would improve with the run and she did because she went even better a week later.

"And there looks like there could be some speed on the front line so it might work out all right."

May is more confident with Stylish Monarch in the National Trot today.

He believes the Dominion Handicap winner has the natural early speed to cross favourite I Can Doosit and try for an all-the-way win.

"He is very good in front and has good gate speed. Still, that would put I Can Doosit on our back, which could be a problem.

"But this is a very, very good trotter and he can win again."

May has chosen to partner Power Of Tara over stablemate Tennis Ball in the Manukau Cup and says his expensive last-start third at Menangle is best forgotten. "It was a race we couldn't win because they simply went too slow early."