Pirates are the bookies' title favourites (From Bournemouth Echo)

Pirates are the bookies' title favourites

7:00am Saturday 30th January 2010 in

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NEIL Middleditch has admitted it’s flattering for Pirates to be labelled Elite League title favourites by the bookies.

But he doesn’t believe the tag will have any affect on Poole Castle Cover’s riders.

The Dorset outfit have been installed as 7-4 favourites to land the championship silverware with BetFred ahead of Peterbor-ough (4-1) and Belle Vue (11-2).

William Hills have made Pirates 13-8 favourites with Panthers (11-4) and Aces (11-2) again also well fancied.

And Skybet have Poole 2-1 favourites followed by Peterbor-ough (9-2) and Belle Vue (11-2).

Middleditch, Poole’s team manager, said: “It’s flattering to be put in that position by the bookies, but it’s a long old season and favourites don’t always win the race.

“We’ve assembled a very good team and if we stay as one I don’t see why we can’t win it.

“The team we’ve got are all enthusiastic, so it’s not a label I’m worried about.

“I don’t think it’ll even enter into our riders’ minds because they’ll turn up every week and win races.

“They’ll probably read about it in the press, but they’re all professionals and will go out and do their job. This is one of the most exciting Pirates teams we’ve had for a while and, hopefully, it’ll bring more people back to Poole Stadium.

“If people do come out and support us, those who haven’t seen Darcy Ward are in for a treat.

“He’s as exciting a racer as I’ve seen at his young age in a long time.”

Meanwhile, Pirates’ Grand Prix new boy Chris Holder is fifth favourite to lift the World Championship title at his first attempt with BetFred and William Hills (both 14-1) and joint seventh with SkyBet (20-1).

Middleditch said: “Chris will win races and if he finishes fifth overall, I’m sure he’ll be over the moon. Chris will just take one round at a time and see how it develops.

“He’s pretty level headed, so I don’t think the GP will faze him. He’s had lots of races in Sweden and Poland, so knows what pressure at that level is all about.”

Elite League title odds, BetFred: Poole 7-4, Peterborough 4-1, Belle Vue 11-2, Lakeside 13-2, Wolves 8-1, Coventry 17-2, Swindon 14-1, Ipswich 16-1, Eastbourne 25-1. William Hills: Poole 13-8, Peterborough 11-4, Belle Vue 11-2, Wolves 7-1, Coventry 12-1, Lakeside 12-1, Swindon 12-1, Ipswich 12-1, Eastbourne 20-1. SkyBet: Poole 2-1, Peterborough 9-2, Belle Vue 11-2, Ipswich 9-1, Lakeside 9-1, Wolves 10-1, Swindon 10-1, Coventry 12-1, Eastbourne 16-1.

Grand Prix title odds, BetFred: Crump 9-4, Sayfutdinov 11-4, N Pedersen 3-1, Gollob 12-1, Holder 14-1, Jonsson 14-1, Andersen 33-1, Zetterstrom 200-1. William Hills: Crump 5-2, Sajfutdinov 5-2, N Pedersen 10-3, Jonsson 12-1, Holder 14-1, Gollob 16-1, Andersen 25-1, Zetterstrom 200-1. SkyBet: Sayfutdinov 11-4, N Pedersen 11-4, Crump 11-4, Gollob 10-1, Jonsson 16-1, Lindgren 16-1, Holder 20-1, Hancock 20-1, Andersen 20-1, Woffinden 66-1, Harris 150-1, Zetterstrom 250-1.