It often pays to follow Mick Channon’s runners at Pontefract (12-56 in the past 5 seasons) and Bonita B is worth backing in the nursery there this afternoon (1.50pm).
She has looked a gradual improver with each run to date, the form of her fifth at Windsor on good to soft in May having worked out well, and I didn’t think she looked in love with the track/fast ground when third at Brighton last time. Still, it was another good effort in defeat and she showed a nice attitude.
A mark of 64 looks just on the lenient side on that form and it is interesting that she is sent on the long journey to Pontefract for her nursery debut. Her half-sister Jeanie B won her maiden here for these connections (and was rated 82 at the end of her two-year-old season), while the other half-sister was placed at Listed level at two for this yard. Both handled soft ground very well, which is obviously encouraging.
Bonita B starts off in nurseries at a much lower level and she could well be set for a busy summer/autumn – her dam ran 17 times at two and picked up plenty of black type on soft/heavy ground.
I don’t think this is the strongest of nurseries and am keen to take on the favourite, who has done his recent winning on fast ground.
1.50pm Pontefract – 2pts win, 1pt place Bonita B @ 6-1 (all firms except Ladbrokes/Coral)
