First stakes test for Bon Amis at Randwick

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Bon Amis (centre) steps up to black-type racing for the first time in the June Stakes at Randwick.

Having racked up an impressive strike rate of seven wins from 15 starts, Bon Amis is poised to make his first foray into black-type racing in the Listed June Stakes at Randwick.

It’s a fair feat for a horse bought unsighted for $4000 over the internet and will be even more significant if he can win on Saturday and take his prize money to more than $400,000.

Trainer Jason Deamer has carefully managed Bon Amis’ career so far and says the time is right to raise the bar.

“We’ve just tried to take the easy steps and take him through his grades,” Deamer said.

“Now he’s got to this level so we’ll see what he can do.”

Bon Amis won three of his four starts last preparation, including his most recent at Rosehill in January.

Deamer says the five-year-old has furnished during his break and with the benefit of two recent barrier trials and a strong gallop on the Newcastle course proper on Tuesday, the horse will not be found wanting on the score of fitness.

Bon Amis traditionally performs well first-up and has won three of his four starts fresh with Deamer’s only slight query his inside draw on what is expected to be a rain-affected track.

“It depends how the track is. It’s obviously going to be wet but I can’t complain, one is better than 10,” Deamer said.

“This will be his toughest test to date, first go at Listed company, but he gets in with a nice light weight and I suppose you can say a good barrier.”

Bon Amis has 54kg, five kilos less than topweight Kaepernick.

He has been kept safe in early betting at $6 with Deprive the $2.10 favourite on Thursday.

Deamer has not mapped out a program for Bon Amis beyond Saturday, preferring to see how he handles his first test at stakes level before making any concrete decisions.

But if he can measure up the Ramornie Handicap at Grafton in July is a likely target with the lure of the new $1 million Hunter later this year.

“We’ll see how he stands up on Saturday but in the back of our mind something like the Ramornie might be on the cards,” Deamer said.

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