Jimmie, STAR Racing Writer

LADY SHANKARI showed marked improvement when turning back SUNLIGHT EXPRESS earlier this month and is light enough, 48.0 kilos, to beat overnight allowance tomorrow in her first start at the level.

She has a good draw at post-position six in the eight-horse field, from where she should be able to stay out of trouble heading into the half mile turn.

Speed horses drawn to her inside, RUNJOHNNY RUN, JANIBOUTICE and WOMAN IS BOSS, will be gunning for the lead, which should leave them spent coming off the home turn.

Carrying 48.0 kilos and equally fast, LADY SHANKARI's outside draw should have her floating down on rivals with much in hand for the stretch run.

Apprentice Sadiki Blake's three-kilo claim will have LADY SHANKARI finding extra as she did when taking SUNLIGHT EXPRESS off the lead and powering home for a two-length win at the distance on May 2.

SUNLIGHT EXPRESS has twice franked the form of that race, the latest being Monday when finishing second to NEW KINGSTON at 1200 metres.

Prior to that run, he had raced prominently throughout for sixth place in a 1000-metre straight overnight allowance won by BORDER LINE on May 16.

JANIBOUTICE could start favourite tomorrow as a result of her second-place finish to BORDER LINE.

However, whereas she is always a dangerous 1000-metre straight horse, JANIBOUTICE has proven to be average on the round where LADY SHANKARI twice passed the post in front, in back-to-back races, including an April 4 disqualification.

Champion trainer Wayne DaCosta's RIO COBRE had started favourite against BORDER LINE and JANIBOUTICE on May 16 after dropping class with a fourth-place finish. However, he was hard ridden entering the main track after being slowly into stride and made no impression before being eased.

Returning with 55.0 kilos, giving away 15lb to LADY SHANKARI, appears a bit too much for the seven-year-old gelding to allow the four-year-old filly.

Elsewhere on the card, ACTION MAN gets the nod in the seventh for maidens at 1820 metres. He ran far better than the form lines indicated in the Governor's Cup. Turning for home, he was still running strongly alongside SOUTHERN CRUISE and ORIGINAL TRAIN.