The Handsome One edges out Limbo Larry in photo finish at Bathurst Paceway

Eventually the screen flashed up with the number five in front, giving Darrell Dwyer's The Handsome One his second victory on the trot.

The Handsome One ($10, Justin Reynolds) prevailed by a nose over a fast finishing Limbo Larry ($21, Jed Betts) in the Stu Valentine 4 Bloodstock Ins Pace (1,730 metres) to claim his sixth win in a new career best mile rate of 1:57.2.

Mendoza Lass ($3.80, Jack Wade) faded out of the photo finish across the run for home but finished only 1.1m away from the first two home.

Dwyer's daughter and stable foreman, Erika, said it's been great to see The Handsome One finding his best form in a new preparation.

"He's a lot happier this time in. We've changed a lot of things gear-wise and taken the burrs off him which has made him a lot happier and he's feeling good," she said.

"He worked really nicely the other day and we've been galloping him a lot which has perked him up a bit."

Dwyer said she wasn't too surprised to see The Handsome One show so much fighting spirit after battling the breeze the whole trip.

"He's a bit of a tough horse," she said.

"Every time he's been in the breeze he's gone pretty good. We weren't too worried. Even if he'd come second we thought that would have been a really good run.

"We were standing over towards the truck so we didn't really know if he'd won. We thought it was going to be a dead heat with how long it took with the photo."

There were no complications for Mendoza Lass in finding the lead early in the race as she cut across Poppy Franco to her inside to take up the running.

Justin Reynolds, stuck three wide early on The Handsome One, had to make a call whether to drive ahead for the death seat or drop back through the field.

He opted the forge ahead, sitting ahead of Jerula Josie, while Limbo Larry was tucked away behind Poppy Franco in fifth.

Odds-on race favourite Dargos Pet ($1.95, Mat Rue) sat at the tail of the field at the bell.

On the bend for home Mendoza Lass and The Handsome One found a small break over the field while the favourite surprisingly struggled to make up any ground.

Limbo Larry found space to outside of Poppy Franco but had some ground to make up on the frontrunning pair with 200m to go.

Jed Betts' runner finished brilliantly but he'd have to settle for yet another runner-up placing on his gallant veteran.