Speedway: Holder aims to emulate Emil (From Bournemouth Echo)

Speedway: Holder aims to emulate Emil

7:00am Saturday 4th July 2009

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CHRIS Holder has said he wants the opportunity to emulate Russian sensation Emil Sayfutdinov and make a big impact in the Grand Prix next year.

The Pirates star said he had been “encouraged” by the Eastern European teenager’s impressive impact on the World Championship series this year.

And Poole Castle Cover’s heat leader, although characteristically ever modest, believes at 22 he now has the wherewithal, bike skills and financial backing needed to contest speedway’s greatest individual prize.

Sayfutdinov has won two of five rounds so far in his GP debut season, and lies second behind runaway leader Jason Crump, only a year after his second consecutive World Under-21 Final triumph over two-times runner-up Holder.

It’s an intriguing scenario that Holder would like to be in after already representing Australia with distinction in the World Cup.

But first he must progress through the GP qualifiers’ semi-final at Daugavpils today and the GP Final at Coventry in September if he is to get to grips with the world’s best next year.

Holder, knocked out in the quarter-finals last year after suffering a mechanical nightmare in Lonigo, said: “Seeing Emil do so well is a good indication of the level you have to be.

“I’ve raced him a few times before so to see him in the GP and how he is riding is great.

“It’s encouraging me to get there next year and get some good racing in against the top boys.

“That’s why I wouldn’t turn down a wild card if there was one going this year, although I don’t expect any free tickets because I want to qualify on my own accord for next year.

“Getting into the GP is my main aim at the moment now I don’t have the world under-21 competition to worry about.

“That’s the best level you can get, a go in the GP, so I’m doing everything I can to try and get there in 2010.”

Holder, who proved his fitness after coming back from a broken collarbone injury by notching 12 paid 13 in Pirates’ thrilling 46-44 home win over Wolves in mid-week, travels to Latvia with high hopes.

He said: “I’ve never been there before, so it’ll be a new experience for me.

“I wasn’t too bothered which track I got in the draw, I’m just happy to get this far after suffering the injury.

“Now I’m there, I just want to make sure I make some good starts and hopefully everything will go well.”

Holder also admitted he’d much rather be out on track contesting the GP than talking about it on Sky’s sofa following his debut appearance as an expert analysis for the Copenhagen round last month.

The Aussie, who joined Poole boss and former Great Britain team manager Neil Middleditch on the studio panel, said: “It was pretty cool being on Sky.

“I’d never done anything like it before and I’d love to do it again if they asked, although I’d much rather be out their competing.”

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