DARCY Ward has stoked the derby fires by predicting Poole Pirates’ rivals Swindon will not last the pace in 2016.

Pirates kick off their quest for a fourth straight Elite League crown with an Easter double-header at home to the Robins today (noon) before heading to Wiltshire on Sunday (5pm).

Swindon boss Alun Rossiter is the only team manager to stand in the way of Poole winning six titles in a row and has publicly stated a desire for his side not to be the “nearly men” this season.

But while Ward, whose racing career was ended by a life-changing accident in Poland in August, reckons the club he was loaned to last season could spring a few surprises, he has doubts over their staying power.

Ward told the Daily Echo: “I think Swindon will struggle in my honest opinion. Jason Doyle is a great number one, he has come on strong lately but looking at their team, it is a tricky one.

“They are all my mates but I think they will be a bit inconsistent and that’s where they might fall. They have Doyley as their big rider but the rest are not as big as the likes of Hans (Andersen, Poole), Scotty Nicholls and Craig Cook (both Belle Vue).

“I think that’s where they will struggle. They will thrive off each other with the boys they have in there, it will be fun and a great team to be a part of. They will do alright and win some good meetings but who knows how they will go with consistency? I think Poole can go and win at Swindon.”

Unsurprisingly, Ward backed red-hot favourites Pirates to set the pace and argued that Belle Vue appeared to be the only club with enough heat leaders to challenge their dominance.

“I think Belle Vue will go well," he added. “You have well-matched riders against each other, Matej Zagar against Chris (Holder), Cooky against Davey (Watt) and Scotty against Hans, that’s three top riders in each team.

“It is hard to find that going through the other packs so I think that’s why those teams look the best, they have the big names in British speedway.

On Poole’s chances, Ward continued: “We are favourites to win the league most years and have the best opportunity to go and do four in a row.

“The team looks good. You have a new Chris Holder back and Hans on a great average, I’m sure he will pick up his riding thriving off the Poole atmosphere.

“Davey is a great captain, Brady (Kurtz) has such a bright future and (Krzysztof) Buczkowski will be awesome at Poole, we will just have to see how he goes at the away tracks but whatever happens, the rest of the riders will pick him up.

“Kyle Newman has been key to everything we have won over the past few years and Adam (Ellis) is a good rider. His career hasn’t taken off in the way a lot of people thought but he’s just waiting for that big year and has given himself the best chance of that by coming to Poole.”