By MICHAEL GUERIN
Backing 3-year-old fillies to beat older pacers is usually a shortcut to the poor house - but not this season.
This year's filly pacing crop has been one of the strongest ever, with the best fillies, headed by Tupelo Rose, smashing numerous national records.
And they have also shown they can beat the older pacers, with Pocket Queen bolting away with the North Island Breeders Stakes last month.
Tonight it could be the turn of Shivna, who must rate as the unluckiest of the class fillies this season.
An early break and then a poor draw cost her a chance in the fillies classics at Addington last month and she was again out of luck after an early speed duel at Alexandra Park last start.
On that occasion Shivna paced her opening 800m in under 57 seconds before holding on for third in a race quinellaed by backrunners.
That effort suggests she is good enough to topple the older pacers in the seventh race at Alexandra Park tonight.
The race contains plenty of hardened stayer but that shouldn't worry Shivna, who as a typical Holmes Hanover filly is suited by a hot pace.
She could complete a Holmes Hanover TAB double with Ronaldo the one to beat in the first leg.
He was desperately unlucky here last start when unable to get a clear run in the straight but his earlier form over 2200m was outstanding, including sitting parked for the last 800m before beating Quick Tip two starts ago.
The highlight of the night will be the clash of exciting intermediate grade trotters Frugal Echo and Bold Kamwood in the second leg of Pick Six while champion junior driver Mark Jones looks to have got the best of the draws with Faldo in the second leg of the national junior drivers' championships.
Racing: Shivna's time to shine
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