Newcastle sprinter Bon Amis will be on a mission to prove he is more than just a short-course specialist when he heads to Randwick in search of a defining win.
The gelding has carved a record as an 1100-metre specialist with five victories at the distance, but he is yet to win in eight attempts at 1200 metres and beyond.
It is a statistic trainer Jason Deamer is certain the horse can correct and Bon Amis gets a chance to do just that in Saturday’s Listed Razor Sharp Handicap (1200m).
“His 1200 metre record isn’t too bad, even though he hasn’t won over it,” Deamer said.
“He got beaten a head, a head by Deprive and Trope in the Show County and if he can reproduce that run he will be pretty hard to beat.”
Bon Amis was beaten half a length by subsequent Group One winner Princess Posh over 1400 metres earlier in his career and two starts ago was third to Savatiano over 1300m in the $1 million The Hunter.
He comes off an unplaced effort behind Spending To Win in the Starlight Stakes (1100m) when he dwelt at the start and was caught deep from an awkward draw.
“He probably settled a horse or two further back than we anticipated and obviously got caught a little bit wide,” Deamer said.
“Maybe it was coming back from 1300 to 1100 in just two weeks too.
“He kept trying all the way to the finish. The run was better than it looks.”
With Hugh Bowman back in the saddle and a better draw in gate four, Deamer is quietly confident Bon Amis can bounce back.
He was marked at $8.50 on Friday with the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Signore Fox $3.40 favourite.
The Snowdens also have Spending To Win in the race but he is not a certain starter with the stable weighing up whether to keep him fresh with a view to next month’s Magic Millions carnival in Queensland.
