How To Bet Your £20 on Saturday: Bonney can come back to life at 20-1

Andy Stephens suggested putting Newmarket winners Mabs Cross (5-1) and Saxon Warrior (4-1) in a double last week, having selected bet365 Gold Cup winner Step Back at 12-1 the week before.

I routinely spend Thursday nights with my head in the formbook for Saturday’s races but made an exception last night by going to see Soul II Soul in concert near Southend.

Jazzy B and his collective were back in the groove 30 years after forming but times change and the balance of power in racing has shifted beyond all recognition during that time.

For instance, the 1988 Derby was won by the Luca Cumani-trained Kahyasi and the premier Classic featured just one Irish-trained challenger - a 66-1 chance who trailed home ninth of the 14 runners.

The prospects of the first eight home next month being British-trained are a billion to one. There’s not even a guarantee Britain will have that many runners because I’d imagine Saxon Warrior and Aidan O’Brien’s other numerous candidates will frighten plenty away.

Any way, let’s Keep On Movin’ and try and find a few winners on Saturday, starting with:

Kew Gardens would probably be odds-on for this had he not been a below-par third on his return in the Feilden Stakes at Newmarket but plenty of Aidan O’Brien’s runners have been needing their first outings of the year. The combination of nine furlongs and softish ground were not ideal, either.

Much more can be expected of him up to a mile and a half, which he should relish, and back on faster terrain.

His three-and-a-half length win over Wednesday's Chester Vase runner-up Dee Ex Bee in the Zetland Stakes at Newmarket in the autumn stands close inspection and, if in similar form, he should make light of a 3lb penalty against rivals who cannot boast anything like that level of form.

Chesterfield boasts extremely solid form credentials and I will probably have a saver on him at 7-1 but William H Bonney, chalked up at 20-1, is more attractive.

I am sure plenty have given up on Alan King’s gelding because he has often found less than looks likely but he has had a wind operation since his last run and if tinkering with his breathing helps him get home better than he might be able to turn over a new leaf.

He ran well for a long way in this race last year before fading into sixth and is now 7lb lower than when a fine fifth in a strong renewal of the Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham in November, when he traded at 2.12 in-running on Betfair.

King had a runner earlier this week bolt up after a wind op and at the time of writing has struck with five of his past seven runners.

This straight mile should play to the strengths of Dynamic, an imposing filly who could well come into her own this year now she has had more time to grow into her frame.

She has done little wrong in her four starts to date and signed off last year with a game success at Newmarket.

The fast ground will not inconvenience her (2-2 on good to firm) and lack of a recent outing should not be an issue because she won well on her reappearance last season, having gone close to winning on her debut as a two-year-old.

As a bonus the excellent Andrea Atzeni (one winner from two rides for the William Haggas stable this year) rides her for the first time.

I thought she would be much shorter than 100-30, for all that Queen Of Time looked unlucky not to win in Listed company at Goodwood last week.

You can make a case for plenty but I cannot let Makaarim go unbacked at a general 40-1.

The four-year-old was having only his second start for the Hughie Morrison stable when winning in taking style at Wolverhampton in November and he was desperately unlucky not to follow up off a 4lb higher mark next time at Lingfield - being in a hopeless position turning into the straight but finishing strongly without being hard driven to be beaten less than two lengths.

Makaarim disappointed at Kempton next time but I am certain he remains on a favourable mark and he has subsequently been freshened up. Charlie Bennett takes off 3lb and boasts a 14 per cent strike-rate for the yard.

Breath Caught is unlikely to be much of a price but it will be a surprise if this well-bred colt does not follow up his decisive reappearance win at Newmarket.

He’s up 5lb but looks the type to stay ahead of the handicapper for a while yet for the in-form Ralph Beckett, who has won with six of his past nine runners.

The pair who may give Breath Caught most to do could be Mont Kinabalu and Alfa McGuire, who dominated the finish of a handicap over an extended 7f at Beverley last time.

Andy Stephens' How To Bet £20 on Saturday:

OPTION ONE:

2.30 Lingfield: Kew Gardens £2 win at 13-8

3.10 Haydock: William H Bonney £2 win and each-way at 20-1

3.25 Ascot: Dynamic £8 win at a general 100-30

4.00 Ascot: Makaarim £2 each-way at a general 40-1

4.55 Haydock: £1 Trifecta: Breath Caught to beat Mont Kinabalu and Alfa McGuire in a Trifecta.

4.55 Haydock: £1 Trifecta: Breath Caught to beat Alfa McGuire and Mont Kinabalu in a Trifecta.

OPTION TWO:

£3 win doubles and a £3.20 win treble

2.30 Lingfield: Kew Gardens

3.25 Ascot: Dynamic (take the general 100-30)

4.55 Haydock: Breath Caught

Plus the above trio in a 30p Win Super Yankee with:

3.10 Haydock: William H Bonney

4.00 Ascot: Makaarim