WINTER recruit Brady Kurtz has been backed to realise his Grand Prix potential with Poole Pirates – by the man who managed him at Somerset.

A yield of 38 points from six meetings for Pirates represents a solid start for the 19-year-old Aussie after lighting up the Premier League last season.

That rate has surpassed Kurtz’s converted top-flight average of 5.24 by more than a point, although his figures remain fixed on the green sheet statistics.

And having witnessed his rapid progress over the past two years, Somerset boss Garry May argued the Australian champion would force his way on to the world scene within “three or four years”.

Assessing Kurtz’s traits, May told the Daily Echo: “He is a laugh and an all-round nice lad who never gives you any hassle but when he has that helmet on, he is different.

“He is so focused and sometimes, when he has a bad race, you know you shouldn’t go to talk to him.

“In his head, he is already forgetting that ride and sorting out the next one. He is the type of character where you know he will do what he needs to.

“Brady will do well at Poole. We had a chat and I tried to get him to come back to Somerset this year but he wanted to focus on the Elite League and I didn’t want to stand in his way.

“We didn’t want to put any pressure on him and I am sure Matt (Ford, Poole promoter) will feel the same. Brady just needs looking after and it will come for him, he’s a great prospect.

“I have seen Brady for the past two years, I know what he is like and he can go all the way.

“I think he will be a Grand Prix rider in three or four years.

“He needs to be riding in Poland and if that break doesn’t come properly this year, I’m sure it will in 2017.

“I wish him all the best because at Poole, he is at the right place to get on.”

Kurtz quickly burst on to the scene for the Rebels, rubbishing an assessed five-point average in 2014 by finishing his maiden UK season with figures of 7.54.

He started as second heat leader behind Poole asset Josh Grajczonek last season but significantly boosted his numbers to 8.73, despite spending most of the campaign at number one as Somerset won the Knockout Cup and reached the play-off semi-final.

“He was awesome last season,” added May. “He knocked Josh off the top spot within the first month and refused to let go of it.

“That probably put extra pressure on him when he didn’t need it, he could have left Josh there but he was determined and gave it 100 per cent, like he does with everything he puts his mind to.

“He was great because you knew he would more often than not win that first race for you.

“Sometimes he loved it and at other times it got to him. He is still young but, in the end, he took it and knew what he had to do to win races.”