Having one of the favourites for Tuesday's New Zealand Cup has been a dream for Brent Mangos since he started driving and training 40 years ago.
He's based in the North Island though, so COVID-19 restrictions mean he won't be there to watch trotter, South Coast Arden in action, but he tells Newshub the four-year-old is in safe hands.
The hands of renowned trainer Natalie Rasmussen.
"We were due to go to trials, but we were still in level four so I couldn't even take him to Pukekohe to work him," Mangos says.
The restrictions of Auckland's lockdown saw Mangos make the decision to send South Coast Ardern South early, but unable to travel himself due to lockdown, which means he is missing out on what is his greatest ever chance in trotting biggest race.
"It's heartbreaking for them," says Rasmussen.
"You don't get a horse like this every year that is good enough to contest the Cup let alone a first or second favourite."
The cup contender isn't new to Rasmussen either.
"I drove him when Brent was suspended and thought he was a nice horse and he has just got better and better."
He's in safe hands with Rasmussen working South Coast Arden alongside Hayden Cullen, who previously trained with Mangos in Pukekohe.
It means he also becomes a temporary stablemate of the favourite to win Tuesday's cup at Addington - defending champion Self Assured.
The last time the pair met there wasn't much separating them - just a nose.
And if he can hold off the rest tomorrow, he'll become the first North Island horse to win the race since 2008.
"He's a very big chance - I really think he has a chance," says Rasmussen.
With a helping hand from his mates in the South, there's reason to believe this adopted North Islander could be on to break recent South Island dominance.