NEIL Middleditch believes stepping out of the shadow of former world champion Jason Doyle will allow Pirates spearhead Jack Holder to blossom.

Poole asset Holder was loaned to Somerset last season where he played a key role in the Rebels’ run to the SGB Premiership play-off semi-finals.

He increased by more than a point and a half the 5.82 average he had attained in his maiden top-flight season at Poole.

And having returned to Wimborne Road for the upcoming campaign, the 22-year-old has been charged by boss Matt Ford with the top job in the septet.

Team boss Middleditch said: “Jack had a year away from the Pirates and performed very well for Somerset.

“Coming in as a number one and not in the shadow of Doyley may just spur him on to greater heights.

“He’s still improving. He is a good, strong rider on a bike and is not scared of anybody. I think it will stand him in good stead.

“Some people might say he has a bit of arrogance but you have to have self-belief. Jack believes he can beat anyone and that is what you need.

“If you go to the tapes and think ‘I don’t think I can win this race’, you may as well not go out. But Jack goes out in every race with the intention of winning it.”

Holder’s 2018 campaign came to an end in the second leg of the play-off semi-final at Poole, a meeting which will go down as a Premiership classic.

The Aussie was wiped out by compatriot Brady Kurtz in heat three, forcing both men to withdraw.

Pirates went on to edge a final-heat decider with Chris Harris producing the key pass when he hurtled past Doyle on the penultimate bend.

Like Holder, Kurtz has been named in the Poole one-to-seven for 2019 and they are joined by Josh Grajczonek, Nicolai Klindt, Richie Worrall, Nico Covatti and Nikolaj Busk Jakobsen.

Middleditch said: “Matt’s done a good job. We haven’t gone for a big hitter – there aren’t any out there who are available – so we’ve built a team similar to what we won the league with last year.

“It’s a team with strength in depth with riders who are capable of winning races against anybody.

“I’m pretty pleased with the way it’s turned out.

“You have a nice bit of competition with the three Aussies. Josh, Brady and Jack are great friends and love to race against each other and outdo each other.

“That competition will be good for the team in general.

“In an ideal world you would go with the team which won us the title last year but the numbers don’t add up sometimes and you have to build a team which you feel is going to improve.

“That’s what Matt has done. He has got a great tail end, probably one of the best in the league. We look very good.”