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Feel Glasgow will be the happier of the two sides. Monarchs had a chance to put one foot in the next round, but dropped too many points to Tigers reserves especially. Also don't understand how Castagna can do so well in a harder league, but not replicate that in the Champ?

For your first point, I think most teams use r/r at 2 out of habit rather than planning, I'd totally agree with it if it was a second string missing not the second best rider. Anyway we'll have to agree to disagree on this one, not really a situation where someone can say I told you so. If Sayfutdinov wins heat 8 for me that doesn't prove it worked, as others may have won that heat too lol!

Fair point, can't disagree with that logic

I don't quite get that argument, Kvech could have 7 rides, Sayfutdinov can't cover all of them? Anyway Kvech may not be in heat 8 if Kildemand is going well as Boughen can't be replaced. My thinking is that as there are 6 third heat leaders / second strings in the Lynn team, there will be 12 races when 2 of them are out together, I'd want Sayfutdinov racing in those heats, not a race where he's guaranteed to only meet one of these stronger riders. If Sayfutdinov is good enough to score a maximum, which I believe he is, it benefits Ipswich for him to have the toughest races, let his teammates pick up points in the "easier" races.

Cairns for Starke leaves Poole 0.44 below the limit. The only person Cook could replace is Lawson!

But what happens if the Champ goes 2H & 2A like many want? With 4 Friday clubs, there wouldn't be regular Friday's even with more matches! Of course one answer is to run a NL/NT team on blank Fridays.

I'd personally put r/r at 5 before using at 2. As for the argument against using it at 3 or 4, "you are weakening that position if the other rider isn’t going well" but wouldn't that happen anyway, if Brennan or Ellis doesn't go well they've weakened the 3/4 pairing without moving r/r there? I personally look at who the riders would meet in their "extra" ride, Sayfutdinov is the last rider I'd want in heat 8, if you expect every Ipswich top 5 rider to beat Boughen, then that's only a point gained if Sayfutdinov beats the second string. Out of curiosity what do you think of King being put at 5 to pair with a reserve in 3 of his rides?

Looking at the two teams, really should be Witches biggest defeat of the season!

I don't understand r/r @2. Means Sayfutdinov gets his extra ride in heat against Boughen, is that really the best use of your top rider?

It's very easy to find a rider, the Champ is full of riders who'd want a Prem place, much harder to find a strong rider. While Brummies could use a 75% guest (5.50) there's not much point in that. Of the riders currently riding in GB, Victor Palovaara would probably be the best bet.

Poole will be 1.26 over the limit in June. So Cairns for Starke wouldn't give them much to play with to strengthen elsewhere (if they wanted to).

Well Mark Parker is still in the team, despite you saying he was only in for the Workington matches! Does that mean my pound (point) is relevant now? I've said it before & I'll say it again, there has to be someone stronger than Parker willing to ride at reserve for the Monarchs. Especially now they're meeting 2 x 2.00 reserves against Glasgow! Marson, McGurk, Spencer? They've announced MPT, but sticking with Parker at the moment!

Was probably the worst time to have a postponed meeting, with an away win in the morning, would that have increased the attendance in the evening? Fans who were fed up of losing, deciding to give it another go?

Soon to be their number one!

I don't think it has, top 4 still seems finalised (baring injuries).

Totally agree.

Looking at the June averages Connor Coles would fit as a temp replacement for Wood, as would Adam Roynon. In a way Wood is lucky he's carrying his low 2023 scores in his rolling average, keeps his figure at 2.00 for longer. Will also help him get a team place next year if he doesn't race the full 20 meetings for Berwick this year.

If Rew binned it, does that not mean both rider fell on their own & should both be excluded?

Kildemand was always gonna have 7 rides, another reason to use him in heat one, spread the rides out? Same thing happened with Lynn, Kvech getting an r/r outing in heat one, when Klindt was gonna get 7 rides.

Normally when the 5th best rider is missing for r/r at number 2, the 4th best rider gets the r/r outing in heat 8. This means the reserve coming in for the r/r outing is "protected" by the number one & means don't have to use both reserves on heat 8. Although in Oxford's case their number one isn't really any better than the rest of the top 5 & their number 6 isn't much worse than the top 5. But yes I agree it was an odd decision to use Riss on that heat. Maybe Schroeck thinks he's so good he'll beat Kurtz / Bewley when he meets them?

I was saying as Birmingham were due to race twice tomorrow, calling off the evening meeting wouldn't save on air fares like it would in normal circumstances.

I think it's strange calling it off so early as all the riders would be in the country anyway, so it's not like they're saving on air fares by calling it off a day ahead.

Very much agree. They seem clever enough to move up one stage at a time to better Luke's career. For me the next step would be to take guest booking for a RS, not that there's many options, hopefully none as we don't want injuries.

Ok, no one wants to see a poor track, but "crap vs poor" sounds like a good match. Just like a match between the best 2 teams in the Champ would be, weaker riders but equal teams is better than watching a thrashing against a strong team.