PIRATES chief Matt Ford saw his bid to sign Patryk Dudek dashed but was relieved to add: “At least he won’t ride against us.”

Ford held talks with the former world under-21 champion following his stellar showing at Darcy Ward’s benefit meeting last week, the rising star bagging a full 12-point maximum as Team Janowski triumphed 49-40 over Team Monster.

But despite overtures from the seven-time Elite League champions, the 23-year-old elected not to make the switch to Wimborne Road for 2016.

And although disappointed that he could not convince Dudek to join the Pirates set-up, Ford stated that no other club would be able to lure the Pole to British shores.

Ford told the Daily Echo: “Patryk came in and was incredibly impressive in the benefit meeting for Darcy. But sadly he has already committed to full-time berths in Poland and Sweden and doesn’t feel that he can take a third domestic league at this point in time.

“He is still quite a young lad and feels the travel would be too much for him.

“While it’s a shame that we couldn’t persuade him to ride at Poole, we can take some comfort in knowing that he won’t ride against us.

“We have a very good rapport with him. He knows our feelings towards him and perhaps in the future, things will be different.”

Dudek first rose to prominence in 2009 when he won the Polish under-21 title after taking victory in a run-off.

That same year he earned top spot with Poland at the Team Under-19 European Championship in a narrow victory over Sweden.

In 2010, Dudek helped to secure his country the team crown once more, this time at Divisov, also winning the Bronze Helmet at Leszno.

The Pole’s major breakthrough came when he took victory in the 2013 World Under-21 Championship, the same title that compatriot Maciej Janowski had scooped two years previously.

However, Dudek’s career turned sour last summer when he was hit with a one-year suspension from racing after testing positive for a banned substance in a Polish league meeting.

The promising prospect is set to link up with 2014 Pirates stars Kacper Gomolski and Janowski at Swedish side Dackarna next year.

That situation could present a problem for Poole with Ford desperate to recruit Janowski for his new septet after the former Swindon man played a crucial role in the Dorset side’s previous three league triumphs.

Janowski is already fixed up with home town club Wroclaw and looks set to book his place in the 2016 Grand Prix later this month when the final round of this year’s series takes place in Melbourne.

Nevertheless, it is not yet known whether Janowski will opt to run in two or three domestic leagues next term.