PIRATES captain Josh Grajczonek readied himself for the SGB Premiership Riders' Championship and insisted he was in it to win it.

The 28-year-old Queenslander is hoping to go a couple of steps further than last year at Belle Vue, when he was eliminated in the semi-final.

Grajczonek, who will form a two-pronged attack with Poole team-mate Brady Kurtz, told the club website: “I never go into these sorts of meetings thinking I want to be in the top three or four.

“Okay, at the end of the night you might be happy with that sort of finish but you go into these meetings to win them.

“It would be great if me and Brady could be the top two – with me finishing above him!

“I am a bit disappointed I haven’t won a big meeting in England yet but that’s something I definitely want to do and it would be nice if this could be the moment.

“I’ve done plenty of laps around Poole now and last time I raced there, I scored 13 points and felt really good."

The format will see riders compete in 20 qualifying heats, with the top two points scorers reaching the final and the riders placing third to sixth racing in a semi-final.

First and second from the semi will progress to the closing showdown.