By MICHAEL GUERIN
You have to dig a bit deeper than the obvious reason to find out why Glen Harwood wants to win the New Zealand Oaks with Shivna.
Sure, his percentage of the winning stake for Friday night's $75,000 classic at Addington would be nice.
And as a 26-year-old a group one win would look pretty handy on the CV.
But Harwood isn't thinking about himself. He wants Shivna to win for owners Steven and Jill Stockman.
"They have set me up as a trainer and that would be the best thing about winning," said Harwood.
The Stockmans - Steve is the vice-president of the Auckland Trotting Club - have stepped up their heavy involvement in harness racing in the past five years and have well-bred youngsters that would make them a major owner in any stable.
But they stuck with the relatively inexperienced Harwood a decision that could pay its biggest dividend on Friday night.
Shivna looms as the danger to glamour fillies Tupelo Rose and Dancingonmoonlight in the Oaks and Harwood says his filly can win, particularly after drawing the ace.
"I think she has the gate speed to hold the front and from there we have a few different options," he said.
"But I am sure she will run a hard 2600m because she is a typical Holmes Hanover."
Harwood trained Dancingonmoonlight for the Stockmans before her sale to the Steven Reid barn last season and rates Shivna at least on a par with her arch-rival.
Shivna has thrived since arriving in Christchurch last week and worked strongly at Addington last Saturday.
"She may not have raced for a while but has won two trials, beating Agua Caliente in one, and she broke 57 seconds for her last 800m at Addington on Saturday."
The barrier draw for the Oaks give Shivna and Dancingonmoonlight realistic hopes of downing Tupelo Rose.
Dancingonmoonlight, who will start alongside Shivna, thrilled Reid with a huge run for second at Addington last Thursday and is expected to improve with the run.
Tupelo Rose starts from the tricky six barrier while leading southern hopes Nemesis Choice and No Time Franco have been burdened with wide second line draws.
The draws for the other feature at Addington on Friday night have set up a classic north-south battle in the $160,000 Sales Series Pace.
Southern star Hero appears to have drawn perfectly at barrier two but could find himself surrounded by northerners, with Parisian Falcon drawn barrier one and Matai Mackenzie to follow Hero out from behind the mobile.
Racing: Oaks victory would repay owners' faith
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