salty

If the magazine reflected the way the sport was run you would be purchasing an old copy of the Star with a photocopied insert. The mag would be damp from being left out in the rain and have plenty of "guest" columnists. It would cost fifteen quid for about fifteen minutes reading.

No chance of a "Sandhu" in my opinion. The ownership of their dog tracks at Monmore and Crayford over the years is simply about having control over two of the tracks that are mainstays of the BAGS service. Can't see that changing in the future as they still need that product for the betting shops. The two tracks are only a very small part of their business and their current issues are more to do with the increasing pressures on the viability of many of their shops as they struggle with the change in betting patterns and the increased tax on the FOBT's which was levied this year.

Sad to see him retire. Glad that he can make the decision himself. As Arson says he won a fair few medals.

DaveAllen81. Thank you for putting statistical analysis on top of the bones of what we all knew. Just shows what a shocking state the sport is in.

I'm afraid I don't know the definitive answer, trawling through the various wiki pages for each year of the GP would give you the answer I guess.I suspect the vast majority of 9th placed riders get a pick for the next season. It always irked me that a rider like Rune Holta had to get into the top 8 because he was always unlikely to get a nomination.

I thought that was just a reaction to the number of riders missing through injury, suspensions etc? Didn't realise at that point it was a permanent change. Why did Pawlicki, Covatti, THJ draw lots after Lonigo? No need for a finishing order - unless Harris and Doyle were to turn down their places.

Is it cynical to suggest that the rule change recently announced regarding replacement riders has been done with Ward in mind? Any rider who pulls out or is injured throughout the season can now be replaced by anyone of BSI's choosing (possibly Ward dependent on FIM ruling)rather than the next rider off the GP challenge rank (Shamek).

Once Lindgren put himself out of the running THJ was always going to get the slot as the second Swede. Slightly surprised MJJ got the nod instead of Kildemand, I thought the latters performances in reaching 2 Finals out of 2, winning the World Team Cup and in the European meetings would have been enough.

Personally, I think it is unfair on the other riders to have to wait until the outcome of the Darcy Ward case. The sooner riders know if they are in the sooner they can start preparing for next season. So I think they should announce in the next week like they usually do. In which case I think they will plump for Puk, THJ, Batch and Killer. Puk is a cert. THJ as the second Swede over Lindgren who really has had enough picks. Batch was close to top 8 and that was with a late call-up to the series. Killer did more in 2014 than MJJ. Pity that we can't have Emil though..

They did have the "Red Flag" column for a time which was supposedly hard(er) hitting editorial comment. Winter editions are much the best for me, I really enjoyed their British World Champions series last year.

Not suspended, but not allowed to bowl. Not a problem for Williamson who is worth his place as a batsman. I think the the West Indies spinner Shane Shillingford was allowed to play, but forbidden from bowling his doosra. Saeed Ajmal is currently suspended until he can remodel his action.

Surely the first place to appeal any action (or lack of) once you are through the FIM process is the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Given what Ward himself said in his interview in Latvia (bad news, drinks with meal, lack of re-hydration) I suspect he would struggle to make a worthwhile case.

It's a reflection on MJJ's last two GP appearances, from which he has only garnered 11 points in total. Kildemand has two GP finals in two attempts this year plus a WTC gold medal. A good performance from MJJ in Torun and the pendulem might swing again....

With the race so close for 8th I'm thinking that the 2 uninjured riders who miss out will possibly get picks alongside NKI. As it stands that would be AJ and Batch. The 4th spot will then go to a Dane and I would plump for Kildemand over MJJ. Obviously, the great unknown is what will be done about Ward.

Can't see Rory getting a wild card as he hasn't donned the Aussie colours in the WTC for a couple of years. Edit: I mean a one off wild card in Melbourne not as a permanent nomination.

So if Holder finishes 9th you would give Ward a nomination instead of him? Can't see it happening as I reckon Holder will be in the top 8. Ward's only hope is if Batch fails. Surely they will want 2 Swedes and will be hoping either AJ or Lindgren get into the top 8.

With an Aussie, a Brit and a Pole grabbing the 3 spots tonight, it certainly makes things interesting. Obviously things might change at the bottom 8 over the next two rounds, but I think you can ink in Greg, Tai, KK, Nicki, Matej and Holder. If the other two spots go to Lindgren and Batch that would leave us with.... 3 Aussies 2 Brits 2 Poles And 1 American, Slovenian, Dane and Swede. Puk is a shoo in which would make 2 Danes. I reckon THJ would get the nod to make 2 Swedes. Another Pole - probably Jarek, but it would help if he had a strong finish to the series. Another Dane - a toss up between PK and MJJ. Personally I think PK has been very impressive in his two wild card appearances and I would go for him. Can't see Ward getting picked if there already 3 Aussies in.

Why would that make you sad?

Don't think you should get any flak for expressing your opinion. I'd agree a 6 month ban would be about right, however, we then have the issue of the GP's and whether he should get a nomination for 2015 which clouds the issue. Give him a nomination and the ban seems superflous, but no nomination or being able to ride in the Aussie qualifiers brings us into the realm of greater punishment. Also, we have the issue (as you mention) of legal challenges by the Ward camp and (as mentioned in the Star of 6/9/14) that Middlo had advised him to look into whether the tests "were done in the correct manner". I think this approach from Ward and his advisors has the affect of hardening attitudes towards him as it makes it appear that no lesson was learnt. A feeling underlined when we hear Matt Ford saying "fingers crossed he gets away with it". Little wonder that people want to see such viewpoints come a cropper.

All the talk of Darcy "learning his lesson". From what I can see all he seems to have learned so far is to use a high powered legal team to try and find a way of - to paraphrase Matt Ford - getting away with it.

The Ward conundrum is interesting. Teach him a lesson by giving him a ban to the end of the season, but then giving him a wild card? Thing is although his sponsors have less influence with the FIM, are they able to wield more weight when it comes to the nominations (think there was a precedent a few years ago when Pepe got a pick on the back of Pentel's patronage)? Or will his sponsors walk away following his latest brush with the authorities? I think MJJ may struggle to get a pick as with 5 Danes in the challenge he will be lucky if none of them get a top 3 slot.

I think Pearson basically reacted to the pictures on the screen. The cameras mostly followed Hancock as he went into the pits (no paddock, Kelvin), so naturally he talked about Hancock when he was on screen, whilst not forgetting that Puk was still being attended to on the track.

Absolutely agree. But the fact is the pressure from international events is only going to get greater - especially with the burgeoning European calendar. Only answer I can see is for PL teams to try and avoid employing riders who are going to be missing riding on the continent every weekend - and that is easier said than done.

Can't believe Hancock would risk riding in a meaningless challenge, if he is fit then that would be amazing.

To be fair, on many other threads where we have been bemoaning the lack of British progress, people have said we should embrace these junior European events as a means of giving our lads much needed international experience. Given that our teams are wrecked with absences anyway, we might as well enter our own lads, rather than bury our heads in the sand and pretend they don't exist. Becoming hard to see much of a future for weekend Speedway in Britain.