The couple race the top qualifier for the race with fellow West Otago locals Les and Lynette Roseveare.
Arden's Choice is destined to join the Stivens' band of elite broodmares, but she could complete some unfinished business on behalf of one of her future paddock mates.
The Stivens recently bought former two-time Jewels winner Venus Serena to add to their breeding operation. They bought the classy mare from her former owners, Bob and Jenny Sandford, after her first foal, by Art Major, was weaned earlier this year.
Venus Serena, formerly trained by Geoff Dunn, was a dominant winner of the 2yr and 3yr-old pacing fillies' Jewels finals, but ran second when outsprinted by Lancewood Lizzie in her attempt to claim a full set of pacing Jewels trophies for her sex.
Arden's Choice will bring that elusive trophy home to Venus Serena's new West Otago home should she win next week's Jewels final. It could possibly be her last race before she joins the broodmare paddock.
The Panspacificflight mare's path to her retirement paddock has stretched across the country.
Arden's Choice began her racing career in Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen's Canterbury stable from which she won the group 1 Caduceus Club Fillies Classic at Alexandra and placed in the Harness Jewels at 2.
After the early stages of her 3yr-old season she returned to Auckland to race, and ended up staying there permanently.
''She went up there and raced in the Sires Stakes Final,'' John Stiven said.
''We had done that with Rocknroll Arden, so we already had a pathway.''
Part of the reasoning for leaving the horse in the North was to avoid her constantly clashing with her stablemates, Dream About Me, Golden Goddess and Piccadilly Princess.
''It was Mark's advice to split them apart and there might be more opportunities in the Auckland area for her at the time, and she has just kept getting better and better, so it worked out well.''
Rated a $4 chance in current betting markets, Arden's Choice will not be able to avoid a $1.50 shot in Piccadilly Princess.
But clashing with one of her classy former stablemates is nothing new and it should be an easier challenge than her Taylor Mile and Messenger runs against Lazarus, both of which Stiven thought had merit.
''She was unlucky. She drew wide in both of those races against Lazarus and she had to go back from the gate and follow them around.''
If Arden's Choice could take down the Bettor's Delight-sired Piccadilly Princess it would be a big coup for Panspacificflight, a stallion Stiven believes is highly underrated.
Panspacificflight has served up to 45 mares via frozen semen in seven seasons, from Macca Lodge, the Northern Southland breeding farm where the Stivens send all their mares.
''It is a bit a annoying that he has not cottoned on [with] the New Zealand breeders, because he has done a good job.''
''When you look at the number of mares he has got, he has done a terrific job, really.
-By Jonny Turner
