AS Storm Ophelia drove dark sepia clouds of continental dust across our skies on Monday, news outlets were keen to remind us that it was thirty years, to the day, that we awoke to the devastation wrought by The Great Storm of 1987.

I love the fact that we’ve started to call it the ‘Great Storm’ – it’s become one of those legendary weather events, like the Summer of ’76, by which we measure increments of age.

You weren’t alive in 1976? Then you probably don’t remember Brian Cant, Bill & Ben (the Flower Pot Men) or Red Rum.

1987 was one of those super wet autumns – to the extent that we were still trying to harvest grain in November. And in the middle of it all, there was this great storm which knocked down nearly 15 million trees.

In addition to changing the landscape, the 100mph winds presaged a new age in National Hunt racing. After years of trainers’ championships for Fred Winter, Michael Dickinson and Nicky Henderson, it was suddenly (for one year only) David Elsworth who held all the aces.

From Desert Orchid and Cavies Clown, to Floyd, Barnbrook Again and the Grand National winner Rhyme ‘n’ Reason – the talent was seemingly endless, all of which is front of mind as I reflect on the Kelso annual members’ trip to Colin Tizzard’s stables in Dorset last week.

Both trainers rely heavily on their stockman’s eye and Colin Tizzard, like Elsworth in ’87, has assembled a formidable team for the season ahead.

We marvelled at Cue Card’s shiny coat and took notes as we were told, “He’ll probably go to Wetherby; he’s further forward than he was last year.”

Both River Native and Thistlecrack looked fit and well. The former will have at least one run ahead of a repeat shot at the King George VI Chase.

Pingshou looks likely to go down the Champion Hurdle route – which shouldn’t be surprising as the connections already have Chepstow winner Finian’s Oscar for the two-mile novice chase championship races.

After a fantastic afternoon at Newton Abbot Racecourse, our coach rolled on to the yard of David Pipe – from where Martin claimed 15 trainers’ championships.

The emphasis at Nicholashayne is subtly different – less about the individual trainers’ eye and more about meticulous planning, note taking and detailed records. In the trainer’s own words, as we stand in the yard’s dedicated laboratory, “We try to take the guess work out of the game.”

There will be winners from Nicholashayne this season, hopes are high for Vieux Lion Rouge in the Grand National. But the stable won’t really get moving until the Cheltenham meeting in November.

So, for this weekend’s selection, I’ve cast my eye towards the Paul Nicholls’ stable and Capitaine, who runs at Market Rasen on Saturday.

At the end of the film Terminator, a boy runs across a dusty garage forecourt and shouts something in a foreign language.

A man translates for the benefit of the character played by Linda Hamilton. “There’s a storm coming!” he says. I think it might be called Colin – and it’s set to hit all the top races.