Ford hails Holder as best he has seen
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| TOP MAN: Chris Holder |
PIRATES chief Matt Ford labelled Chris Holder the best 20-year-old speedway rider he has ever seen after the Aussie sensation led a Poole blitz at Peterborough tonight.
Holder, favourite to lift this season's World Under-21 Championship, notched 13 points in stunning style at the Showground as Pirates won on the road for the first time this season.
The fast-trapping youngster, who only lives a few miles away from Panthers' track, reeled off three impressive heat wins and two seconds.
But it was his brilliant ride to shepherd Adam Skornicki home for a Poole 5-1 in front of a snapping Daniel King in heat seven that really put them in the driving seat.
With Hans Andersen already out of the meeting with heavy bruising sustained after crashing into the back of Davey Watt's bike down the back straight in the previous race, Peterborough slumped to their first home defeat for 20 months.
With Watt ramming in an immaculate 12-point maximum, Krzysztof Kasprzak banking paid 11, Skornicki thumping in paid 12 and Craig Watson paid 11, Pirates romped to their biggest away league win since a 58-35 triumph at Ipswich on April 19 last year.
It was a real demolition job, particularly after Andersen's exit and Peterborough gleaning only a 5-3 from their tactical ride and conceding a 5-1 when a brave heat eight tactical substitute move backfired.
Talking about Holder's sparkling performance, Ford said: "I know Chris doesn't want people to stand up and talk about him.
"But it's becoming increasing difficult not to rave about a rider who you sometimes forget is only 20.
"He's just about as good as I've ever seen at that age and we're so happy he's a Poole asset.
"Chris is just an unbelievable talent."
Ford added: "It wasn't just Chris though, all our boys were on song when Peterborough were caught off balance.
"Davey and Krzys were top notch, Adam and Freddie Eriksson were fantastic and have been all season, but the real star for me was Craig, who showed what he could do.
"Craig has been riding with a lack of confidence and below-par equipment under him.
"He was loaned a bike tonight and showed what he can really do.
"We're not getting carried away with this result though, even though an away win has always been coming.
"Undoubtedly Hans not finishing the meeting played a major part, but even at the time of the accident Davey was in front and Craig was just going past Hans on the outside.
"So I think we were riding well and would probably have got a good result from that heat as well.
"The track was a little bit inconsistent so the riders weren't taking any chances - that's why Hans didn't come out again.
"It's kind of been waiting to happen but we're not jumping up and down. We've just won an away meeting, which had to be done.
"Now we want to win a few more. I really would've fancied our chances of winning at Eastbourne on Monday with Davey in the team (Watt will be riding in a Grand Prix qualifier instead).
"It'll be a hard match, particularly with Eastbourne having just won at Belle Vue, but our riders are riding well, so we'll give it our best shot."
Holder lines up in qualifying round two of the World Under-21 Championship at Zielona Gora, Poland, on May 18.
11:28pm Thursday 8th May 2008
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