Dickie Head

Maybe in your view however I think these two meetings have plenty to offer especially if the Cheetah’s can stay in touch after Wednesday. Pirates will undoubtedly have to prepare to be met with a hostile home fan base and a team desperate to sign off in style and will need all of Ford and Middleditch’s experience to keep them calm, focused and on task. I’m favouring Poole, but only just.

Currently both teams are unchanged although Oxford switch Gilks to 2 with Heeps to 4.

Given the unsettling statement from the Brummies a few minutes ago, should Pirates consider / reconsider their 2025 options? Lawson, Brennan, Cook, Cook and Foord would form the basis of an interesting Premiership team.

Everyone apart from Richard Lawson.

If Poole are off on Friday I guess that means they will need to replace Bomber in the restaging as his average goes up on Tuesday.

Dickson shouldn’t have been looking for volunteers. He should be telling his riders who’s going out and why.

Don’t forget the Cheetah’s are looking for two guests as well. They will be just as important.

You’ll be pleased to know it’s not her, however it is another referee who recently courted controversy in the final race at the Championship Pairs where Wright was favoured over Nicholls.

So much rests on the Worky guests. My guess would be Edwards for Claus, Dan Thompson forTate and ideally Pickering for Cook however I’ve been told Picko is concentrating all his weekend efforts on the CLRC so might be Bomber or Wright. Looks like it will go all the way.

Am I right in thinking that by taking guest bookings, Messrs Kerr, Edwards and Flint (and J Thompson at Oxford) are prevented from riding for any other Championship semi-final team should a booking be offered?

How about Starkey again?

Indirectly yes. Saturday 30 March - BSN meeting rained off and re-arranged for the Championship league date of Saturday 25 May. That date was then altered to Saturday 1 June (Plymouth 43 Poole 47) leaving the Championship fixture to be sorted i.e. today.

I would bet Garry has spoken to him. Probably doesn’t fancy a bank holiday Saturday road trip from his East Anglian base to Plymouth especially with a meeting at Worky on the Sunday.

This IOW meeting was the NORA version. The BSPL endorsed version is scheduled for Leicester at the end of this month. Open to all comers and from Overseas as well I believe.

Reckon it will be both. Jason for Claus. Drew for Tate.

Extract from 2024 regulations: 011.1.1 Premiership & Championship Leagues Premiership League, teams will meet on 4 occasions, 2 at home and 2 away. Championship League teams will meet on 2 occasions, 1 home and 1 away. Play Offs will involve the top 4 teams in the final League Table in a series of home and away ties on a knockout basis. 1st placed team v 4th placed team 2nd placed team v 3rd placed team The highest placed team will have first choice of the home or away leg (in both semi-finals and final). If at the completion of all league fixtures 2 teams are tied on league points the Points Difference between Points For and Points Against will be calculated to determine the hierarchical order. Play off meetings will be determined by aggregate heat points scored in the home and away meetings. In the event of a tie on aggregate with the semi or final, the outcome will be determined by the Super Heat format. The winners of the semi finals on aggregate will contest a 2 legged final home and away with the aggregate winner being crowned the League Champions. A rider may only guest for one team in any 2 legged tie (home and away)

That’s a surprise because I was told that Ken Burnett was doing the press stuff on the Island this year and he’s very experienced with media matters.

Tom Brennan will be in Cardiff for GP.

280 miles from his Midlands base to Glasgow. 165 miles from his Midlands base to Poole.

Another headache now with Dan Thompson needing time for his dislocated shoulder (sustained in SON2) to heal.

Drew Kemp the obvious guest if required. Best wishes for a speedy recovery Dan.

Think lbw should see how the declared riders come through Monday and Tuesday meetings before posting his (over optimistic) prediction.

Taken ill in Poland after the Pairs.

Are BBC Radio Oxford covering this? Link please.

Noticed on at least 3 occasions riders who were tight on time went to tapes in the wrong direction. Is that allowed? Thought it was outlawed and attracted a fine.