Aces51

What is disgraceful is that Somerset qualified for the semi final on the 15 April and Wolverhampton on the 26 June and yet they have been unable to sort out a date until now, resulting in the present farce. I have little sympathy for either of them.

You could be right. The number of matches could fit into a programmee of fortnightly home matches. Not sure that's what I want. I preferred the days of a home match every week or 3 and out of every 4 if there are stock cars. However, it does fit nicely if you also have a NL team because then you can have a meeting at home almost every week. As you point out though it is vital that someone with a modicum of sense sorts out the fixture lists.

That fits with what I have heard. Top division of as many as 12 teams but only one league match home and away against each team plus KO cup and play offs.

Should be an entertaining meeting. Kurtz rides well at the NSS and scored the same as Doyle in the PRC and two good reserves. Carr was impressive in a recent NL meeting against the Colts. If Fricke doesn't ride then neither Andersen as a guest or r/r will score as many as he would have done. We shall need to be at our best

I can't recall him riding at the NSS but most riders seem able to adapt to the track. In the Premiership and Championship he and Bewley have similar averages but providing Bewley is match fit I expect (hope) his home track knowledge will give him the edge.

Have you ever seen Shuttleworth ride or seen Smith at the NSS the last few weeks, he has noticeably improved? I agree that neither may score points at Monmore but Smith is undoubtedly the better of the two at the NSS. When Wolves last visited the NSS Smith and Greaves beat each other once. My guess is that Smith is worth 2-5 points on recent form. I shall be pleasantly surprised if Shuttleworth matches that.

Good to see that Lambert recovered sufficiently to take 6 rides in Poland today after aggravating his knee injury in Germany on a Friday and having to miss the PRC. I understand there was someone somewhere who doubted he'd make such a speedy recovery.

Missing Jack Smith is likely to cost us a couple of points, with his recent improved form I think he had the beating of Greaves but with Bjerre back we now have a chance to build up a a lead to take to Monmore. Going to be tight though and we need Bewley to hit the ground running.

We don't need that anymore. Using the newly imposed Chapman criteria I gather it's now acceptable to have a wind off. Just need to trawl through every forecast to find one that forecasts anything stronger than a mild breeze. Other than that apparently a blown fuse will do.

We can always use the Poole precedent and postpone the meeting now on the basis that it wouldn't be fair on the paying public to expect them to pay to watch an understrength team. That would put the cat amongst the pigeons.

I'm not sure of your reasoning for r/r but not a guest. He's our number 1 so when a facility is available we could use either. However, the reality is that there is nobody available tomorrow who would remotely cover for him at the NSS, so r/r would be our best option.

It may be that Bjerre would put his club first but he hasn't got that option if the DMU ban him for doing so. We shall just have to wait and see what the authorities decide.

There have been many instances over the years where results have later been amended because of some illegality during the meeting.

I'm sure Swindon could compensate them and they'll be happy.

According to the Instagram message Johansson is booked, not provisionally booked. Either, Rosco hasn't told him that it depends on BWD being fit or Rosco has been looking at his crystal ball again.

If I were Rosco I would wait and see who performs well tonight from the eligible riders before deciding a replacement for Doyle.

I was thinking it might be for BWD.

The difference is that Newman started the race without goggles, which is contrary to the rules, removing them during the race isn't. So in both instances the rules were broken.

Whatever the reason and I think it was an error made in the heat of the moment when the Pole exceeded the 2 minutes, the fact is that the rules were broken and it should be put right. However, it's Belle Vue and so I'm not expecting anything to happen. Somebody has posted an Instagram message on Facebook this morning that appears to be from T H Jonasson saying he has been booked to ride for Swindon in the second leg on the 22nd.

Of course it was heat 12 and 9 points my mistake. The Swindon reserves outscored our reserves 11-2 but their 1-5 only outscored our top 4, 39-37, which was an excellent away performance. I think with Bewley in the team it would have been very close.

I think we did well. I expected a much bigger defeat without Cook and Bewley. It will be difficult to overturn an 11 point, or even 8 point lead, if heat 14 is amended but not impossible. We could do it if we have a full 1-6 and a decent replacement for Smith if his injury is as reported It certainly looks nasty in that photo.

Thanks for the information. Hopefully, it's something less serious, otherwise he's going to miss the play off semi on Monday. Now seen Rob's post above. Not looking good.

Now Jack Smith has been withdrawn after crashing with BWD in heat 2. It's obviously not going to be our night. I hope Jack is ok and just withdrawn as a precaution.

The actor Jason Done is a Belle Vue fan and was a regular in the drama Waterloo Road. He was seen in many episodes drinking from a Belle Vue mug and reading an Aces programme. Unfortunately, I don't think it ever resulted in an increase in the attendance at the dog track. Good of him to try though.

I didn't know that. Hopefully, for Belle Vue, just trying to make sure he is fit for Monday but not the best sort of match in which to return from injury. Not going to be easy tonight with Fricke saying he is not yet match fit and Bewley missing. Just got to hope we can keep it close but I can see Swindon having a substantial lead for the second leg. We've certainly suffered some misfortunes this last part of the season.