Lady Shankari to slam rivals in Race 5

Orville Clarke, Gleaner Writer

The Pick-9 starts anew on tomorrow's 11-race programme at Caymanas Park after it was cornered by 10 punters last Saturday, each receiving $100,000.

This was not surprising as the fancied horses held their own and the programme produced no upset. Winning favourites included PERFECT NEIGHBOUR in the day's Chairman's Trophy feature, FLYING MIRACLE in the second, REASONABLE PRESS, THORNHILL LAD and LOVETTA JONES.

The Pick-9 will be conducted from race three to 11, the first Super-6 from race one to six, the late Super-6 from race six to 11.

We look at the first Super-6 which commences with a 1300-metre race for native and imported three-year-olds and up to be contested by seven starters.

In what promises keen competition, champion trainer Wayne DaCosta holds a strong hand with his recent course winner MISS JUANITA and the imported horse EXCLUSIVE PRINCE, while champion jockey Dane Nelson is down to ride the American three-year-old filly JANIBOUTICE for in-form trainer Richard Azan and Paul 'Country' Francis has the leg over PRINCESS SHANEIL.

Despite her poor run over this trip behind FORTUNEONEHUNDRED on April 21, PRINCESS SHANEIL has looked a lot sharper at exercise since and is coming to run from her convenient mark of 51kg.

Preference, however, is for JANIBOUTICE, who stayed on well for third in a hotly-contested sprint won by TRAIL BLAZER on May 7. She will welcome the additional 200 metres of this race and should catch them in deep stretch.

Three-year-olds' race

Nelson should also win the second race over 1100 metres for maiden three-year-olds aboard TWO STEPS UP, who has been running with some degree of consistency. Having worked well and the figure eight now fitted, he gets the nod over old rival MANDEYA (Andre Martin up , who has good speed and another fleet-footed runner, SENORITA with title-chasing jockey Dick Cardenas aboard.

ROLEX, now back to his happy hunting ground where he won back-to-back races over 1100 metres some weeks ago, is preferred to the speedy SHE'S SO SPECIAL and her recent conqueror LIGHT BRIGADE in the third race (claiming $450,000-$400,000) over 1100 metres.

REIGN OF DEFTINY, who was apparently thwarted by a sloppy track when highly fancied to win with topweight on May 7 over 1100 metres, is simply too light (50kg) under the apprentice Kuri Powell to lose the fourth race over the straight for conditional $180,000 claimers. Her main rivals in the 11-strong field are PATCH OF FIRE (loves the straight) and PLEASURE TRAIN.

Then, take the lightly raced but talented filly LADY SHANKARI, who won impressively on her debut last December, to win the fifth race over the round five course.

Trained by Howard Jaghai, the 3-y-o daughter of Legal Process - Lady Parbattie has not only worked well but has been administered Lasix for the first time and with Francis taking the ride, should return with a bang. BRUSSEL SPROUT looks her principal danger.

Close all bets with MINISTEROFJUSTICE in the sixth race over the straight for $180,000 claimers. Connections have secured the services of Nelson aboard the current joint track record holder for the distance and although getting on in years now, the 9-y-o son of Royal Minister should win this ahead of the slumming American-bred colt COUGAR COMMANDER.

FIRST SUPER-6 FANCIES

(1) JANIBOUTICE/PRINCESS SHANEIL

(2) TWO STEPS UP/MANDEYA

(3) ROLEX/SHE'S SO SPECIAL

(4) REIGN OF DEFTINY/PATCH OF FIRE

(5) LADY SHANKARI

(6) MINISTEROFJUSTICE