Thursday Racing Tips: Opening Bid can repeat last year's success say say Timeform

• Timeform have three selections on Thursday

• Opening Bid can repeat last year's success at Exeter

• Red Cloud the obvious one to beat at Bath

• Silver Nightfall looks capable of capitilising at Chelmsford

Opening Bid to repeat last year's succes

Opening Bid really made hay in the summer and autumn of last season for trainer Chris Down and jockey Bryan Carver, and when he won at Exeter last October it was his fifth success of the campaign, producing a much more polished jumping display than his rivals and able to win easing down.

Opening Bid has found life harder in the twelve months since but now looks weighted to repeat his success in the same Exeter contest (15:33). Making the running as he often does, Opening Bid ran creditably with cheekpieces fitted for the first time (retained here) when a creditable fifth behind Roccovango at Worcester last time after being headed only jumping the last.

Dropped a couple of pounds for that run, Opening Bid is now also 2 lb below the mark he won this race from last year. As a result, he's potentially leniently handicapped, heading the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings by 3 lb, and looks well worth a chance to repeat last year's success.

Red Cloud still improving

Last-time-out winners Red Cloud and Harlington look the pair to concentrate on in what looks a weak contest for the mile and a quarter handicap at Bath (16:20), with preference for the Gary & Josh Moore-trained gelding.

For an ordinary handicapper, Red Cloud has been a model of consistency this season when he's yet to finish out of the first two in six races from seven furlongs to a mile and a half and on both turf and the all-weather. Off the mark at Chepstow in June, he ran his best race at Lingfield last time when stepped up further in trip and wearing a first-time tongue tie. Coming from off the pace, Red Cloud quickened to lead inside the final furlong and drew clear to win by five lengths in a slowly-run race.

Red Cloud therefore has the speed to cope with a drop back in trip, though conditions will make this something of a test and he's proven in the mud after a creditable second on soft ground at Windsor on his penultimate start. Still getting better, Red Cloud heads the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings by 3 lb and is the obvious one to beat.

Silver Nightfall due a change of luck

Having won three times on the all-weather for her former trainer Gay Kelleway, Silver Nightfall can gain a deserved first success for her current handlers Jim & Suzi Best in Chelmsford's mile handicap for fillies (19:45).

Silver Nightfall has been shaping as though her turn isn't far away after being placed in her last three starts and in the last two of them, visored for both, she hasn't had much luck. At Lingfield two starts ago she was caught on the line to be beaten a nose and five days later in an amateurs race at Chelmsford would have gone very close again but for meeting trouble in running. After being shuffled back and forced to switch when getting no room on the inner from well over a furlong out, Silver Nightfall ran on to be third past the post, though was promoted to second behind Speriamo.

Clearly in top form, Silver Nightfall is on a winning mark which puts her 3 lb clear on Timeform weight-adjusted ratings and she looks capable of capitalising this time.

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