Horse racing tips: Opal to go down a Storm

Our pundit and resident website tipster Dave Nevison fired in a and and has selected the three he likes on Thursday's card at . Enjoy further action from Salisbury, Chelmsford City, and live on Racing TV.

Opal Storm was only a length behind over course and distance last time and reopposes now on 4lb better terms. 

However, it is not the weight pull that convinces me that she can turn the tables but rather the fact that she was forced out of her stride (by Refuge) at a vital stage in an incident that possibly cost her victory. 

Opal Storm is the only horse from the yard who has started at less than 100/1 in recent weeks, so it is difficult to work out whether trainer Brian Rothwell is in form, but she is a consistent filly who runs this track well and it looks as though her turn is near.  

Pfingstberg will probably start at short oddds for this staying handicap, but he only has to repeat that effort to win again.

He is worse off at the weights with and Cloudy Rose -  who he beat into second and fourth last time - yet the distance and track conditions are pretty much the same here and it looks very possible that he won’t be challenged for the lead.

All told, circumstances here look ideal for him to follow up.  

He is on a long losing run, but Clotherholme is in very good shape at present and has been beaten just a head and a nose into second on two of his last three starts. 

His followers are suffering badly, but they do not seem to lack belief that the seven-year-old is still up to it as Clotherholme was backed into 6/4 favourite from 9/2 odds three starts ago. 

A strong pace is pretty much guaranteed in this race and that should suit Ann Duffield’s charge perfectly, so if jockey can get the breaks up the inside from stall one he should go very close to breaking the losing run.