PIRATES star Darcy Ward is keen to return to the Dorset club next season.

The Grand Prix new boy is currently mulling over an offer from Pirates chief Matt Ford and admitted he was hopeful of reaching an agreement to pull on the skull and crossbones race jacket in 2013.

The 20-year-old Aussie will make his world championship debut next year and was keen to lessen his workload to focus on the GP series.

But the Queenslander wants to become Poole’s second confirmed signing after Brit Kyle Howarth was confirmed as a 2013 starter earlier this week.

Ward, now back in his homeland for the winter, told speedwaygp.com: “I want to be back at Poole. I’m sure we’ll sort out an arrangement and, hopefully, I’ll be there. I was talking to (Pirates owner) Matt (Ford) before I left to try to get a deal done, but it hasn’t quite happened yet.”

Ford is also hoping world champion Chris Holder will re-sign before he departs for Australia next week, while Krzysztof Kasprzak is also understood to be keen to return to Dorset should Ward decide not to commit.

Sam Masters, meanwhile, has signed a deal to race for Edinburgh in the Premier League.

Masters was axed by Somerset at the end of the last campaign and endured mixed fortunes doubling-up for Pirates, but impressed the Monarchs with some profitable guest appearances in the second tier.

The Aussie is currently holding talks with Poole Coastal Aluminium over a return in 2013.