FORTUNE favours the brave.

Whether you cite luck, judgment or sheer class, Poole Pirates are basking in the glory of hitting the Elite League summit on the back of some stellar work over the past 10 days.

GALLERY: See all of our pictures from Poole Pirates 58 King's Lynn 34

Promoter Matt Ford, finally able to regularly track his first-choice septet, has seen what he regards “the best seven-man team in British speedway” rack up four wins from five meetings with the added bonus of a useful point at King’s Lynn seven days ago.

The British champions of the past two years may not have sparkled as often as some had hoped for so far in 2015, yet still head into the World Cup break as leaders.

Maybe Poole did benefit from a slice of luck during the abandoned meeting at Coventry on Monday, and again last night as the Stars rocked up with three guests, but it would be difficult to argue that Ford’s crew have had things all their own way this season.

Their position has been cemented by hanging tough during the absences of Dave Watt, Maciej Janowski and Kyle Newman, as well as a tricky start to the campaign for Chris Holder.

But with Holder and Watt straddling new machinery, coupled with a clean bill of health, this Poole team is starting to show the swagger of champions once more.

They blasted out of the traps with three maximums against the Stars and never looked back, striking fear into the hearts of their championship rivals in front of the Sky cameras.

Speedway: Darcy Ward vows to make immediate British return - with four clubs interested

Speedway: Middlo says Gerald's track triumph is off the Richter scale

King’s Lynn’s Robert Lambert only just made the two minutes for the opener and despite gating second behind Watt – who went on to set the fastest time of 59.50 at Wimborne Road this season – Holder reeled in the youngster to kick off the night with an Aussie 5-1.

Paul Starke got off to a flyer and set a personal best time at Poole in the first reserve race, with Newman surging from the back and in between both opponents on bend two for a second maximum.

Janowski gated and selflessly held his position for Dakota North to pass round the outside in the third, the newcomer taking the chequered flag as Poole forged 15-3 ahead.

Kacper Gomolski had a scare at the start of race four when his bike cut out but he managed to fire it up to take second. Newman battled from the back in a shared race won by Lewis Kerr.

Lambert clocked an impressive 59.59 in heat four but Starke and Watt ensured parity before Stars boss Rob Lyon sent out Chris Harris in the black and white for a tactical ride.

Unbelievably, having battled back from third, Harris was forced into second by team-mate and captain Kenneth Bjerre, a move that denied the visitors an extra point with guest ‘Bomber’ ready to explode with frustration.

Poole’s staple move round the outside paid dividends again as Janowski comfortably took his first victory. Holder was pushed back to third by Pirates asset and King’s Lynn guest Josh Grajczonek.

Newman was on the gas and glided round in heat eight and with Gomolski all over Lambert like a rash, the Pole nipped round the outside for a fourth Poole maximum.

It was all too easy for Watt with the gap growing by the lap in a shared ninth which maintained the home side’s 12-point cushion.

The entire crowd gasped having witnessed a sickening spill for Lambert, who was tossed into the air fence on the second bend of heat 10. Thankfully, the 17-year-old got managed to gingerly walk back to the pits. Janowski won with North in third.

Holder further hammered home the advantage after the interval with Watt getting the better of Grajczonek in another unstoppable display.

Visiting reserve Kerr claimed his second win of the evening but Ashley Morris’s fall helped Poole to make victory certain with three races left.

Hearts were in mouths again in a stunning opening to heat 13 as Janowski was nearly forced wide into Holder but remained composed to fittingly maintain his paid maximum, a result which confirmed King's Lynn would not escape with any points.

North continued the good work with a tireless pursuit and passing of Grajczonek in another shared race before Janowski blitzed Harris round the outside for his third win in the nominated race.

ECHO STAR RIDER – MACIEJ JANOWSKI

MACIEJ Janowski not only cut an imperious figure on the track but showed backed it up with heart-stopping bravery to protect his paid maximum.

The result was all but secured ahead of the showpiece heat 13 but Janowski, forced within a whisker of clattering team-mate Chris Holder, roared back to pass Chris Harris and Kenneth Bjerre.

Matt Ford is quick to remind everyone how important the Polish Grand Prix newcomer is to the Pirates cause. This display, again, proved why.

Dave Watt and Chris Holder caught the eye with bristling displays on a corking night for Poole. 

RIDER SCORES

POOLE PIRATES 58: 1 Chris Holder (2*-1-3-3) = 9+1, 2 Davey Watt (3-1*-3-2*-1) = 10+2, 3 Dakota North (3-1-1-3) = 8, 4 Kacper Gomolski (2-0-2*-0) = 4+1, 5 Maciej Janowski (2*-3-3-2*-3) = 13+2, 6 Paul Starke (3-2-0-1*) = 6+1, 7 Kyle Newman (2*-1*-3-2) = 8+2. Team manager: Neil Middleditch.

KING’S LYNN STARS 34: 1 Chris Harris (guest) (0-4*-2-1-2) = 9+1, 2 Robert Lambert (1-3-1-fell) = 5, 3 Josh Grajczonek (guest) (1-2-1-2-0) = 6, 4 Kevin Doolan (guest) (0-0-1*-1*) = 2+2, 5 Kenneth Bjerre (0-3-0-0) = 3, 6 Ashley Morris (1-0-fell/rtd) = 1, 7 Lewis Kerr (0-3-0-2-3) = 8. Team manager: Rob Lyon.

HEAT DETAILS

Ht 1: Watt, Holder, Lambert, Harris, 59.50 (5-1).

Ht 2: Starke, Newman, Morris, Kerr, 60.31 (10-2).

Ht 3: North, Janowski, Grajczonek, Bjerre, 60.10 (15-3).

Ht 4: Kerr, Gomolski, Newman, Doolan, 60.40 (18-6).

Ht 5: Lambert, Starke, Watt, Morris, 59.59 (21-9).

Ht 6: Bjerre, Harris, North, Gomolski, 60.41 (22-16).

Ht 7: Janowski, Grajczonek, Holder, Doolan, 60.04 (26-18).

Ht 8: Newman, Gomolski, Lambert, Kerr, 60.29 (31-19).

Ht 9: Watt, Kerr, Doolan, Starke, 60.82 (34-22).

Ht 10: Janowski, Harris, North, Lambert (fell), 59.94 (38-24).   

Ht 11: Holder, Watt, Grajczonek, Bjerre, 60.31 (43-25).

Ht 12: Kerr, Newman, Starke, Morris (fell/rtd), 61.28 (46-28).

Ht 13: Holder, Janowski, Harris, Bjerre, 60.50 (51-29).

Ht 14: North, Grajczonek, Doolan, Gomolski, 61.10 (54-32).

Ht 15: Janowski, Harris, Watt, Grajczonek, 59.94 (58-34).