Holder spurred on by Aussies barrier (From Bournemouth Echo)

Holder spurred on by Aussies barrier

7:00am Saturday 26th April 2008

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PIRATES star Chris Holder has admitted: "I would love to have a shot at the Grand Prix."

But speaking collectively as an Australian, the 20-year-old added: "We have slim to no chance of it happening.

"It won't really work unless there is a round in Australia.

"Unfortunately, they only did that one year and I can't see it happening again."

The 20-year-old has adapted impressively to Elite League speedway in his debut season having already leapt to the top of Poole Castle Cover's averages.

However, he is aware, as an Aussie, he is unlikely to receive a wild card, especially as Slovenian Matej Zagar has been called up for tonight's GP opener in Krsko.

Pole Jarek Hampel has got the same spot for the European GP at Leszno on May 10.

The GP authorities almost always go with a rider from the country where any given meeting is being staged, primarily to attract more locals into the stadium on the night and because of television contract tie-ups.

Holder said: "A wild card at Cardiff would be great, but I can't see them putting in an Aussie at Cardiff.

"It has to be a Brit, the same as it is with every other country.

"We are stuck like that. It just gives me more motivation to get through the GP qualifiers and get in there.

"If I can do it eventually that would be great, but they are not going to put in Aussies as wild cards." Holder, whose Pirates team-mate Davey Watt is also an Aussie knocking on the GP door, added: "Maybe our best bet, if we can't qualify, is to get one of the four seeded starts which are given out at the end of the year.

"To get one of those you have to be performing well everywhere, not just England.

"You have to score high in Poland, Sweden, in the World Team Cup and in the big individual meetings.

"If you are scoring good and are on the pace, they can't really overlook you then."

Holder, however, believes he has more work to do until he gets to that stage.

The Aussie champion beat his British counterpart Chris Harris in the fastest time by a Pirate at Poole this year two weeks ago.

Asked if he felt a win like that meant he felt he could compete at GP level, Holder said: "It's always nice to beat a GP rider every now and again, but you have to consistently beat them.

"I occasionally go out and beat them but to do it consistently is the hard part.

"You have to be up to that, showing you can beat them all the time. I go out thinking I can do it but it doesn't always happen. Hopefully I can do that sooner or later."

Holder's Pirates team-mate Bjarne Pedersen begins his sixth successive season as a GP regular tonight.

The Dane was 12th overall last year, but is hoping to better his career-best sixth in 2005.

Pedersen, who won the European GP at Wroclaw in 2004, was a semi-finalist at Krsko last year.

n Pirates reserve Zibi Suchecki is resting in Poole Hospital after undergoing an operation on his broken thigh yesterday.

Poole's management have been requested to ask fans not to ring the hospital for progress reports as it is jamming up their switchboard.

Get well cards should be sent to Poole Webmaster, 108, Heights Road, Upton, Poole, Dorset, BH16 5QW.

Slovenia GP: 1 Holta, 2 Kasprzak, 3 Nicholls, 4 Adams, 5 Pedersen, 6 Harris, 7 A Dryml, 8 Jonsson, 9 Gollob, 10 Hancock, 11 N Pedersen, 12 Lindgren, 13 Zagar, 14 Iversen, 15 Andersen, 16 Crump, 17 Santej, 18 Stojs.

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