A BUSY racing schedule saw the Poole Comets add more gold and silver medals to their 2019 haul by successfully defending their British Club Championship title and finishing runners-up in the final of the British Cycle Speedway Knockout Cup.

Held at Wolverhampton's Ashmore Park raceway, Poole eased into the Club Championship grand final where Ben Mould led the way with an unbeaten 16-point maximum as Comets swept all before them to lift the championship trophy for the third successive season.

Poole were drawn in the first semi-final against Ipswich, Birmingham and Coventry and the defending champions dominated racing to finish on 48 points, with Ipswich on 45, Birmingham 40 and Coventry on 24.

Mould showed why he is the 2019 ICSF world champion by scoring a faultless 16-point maximum to help the Comets book their place in the final, with Fraser Garnett (9), Matt Mildon (8), Wil Bristowe (8) and Aaron Smith (7) proving too good for the opposition.

Comets then carried on their winning ways, scoring another 48 points, beating Ipswich (46), Great Blakenham (34) and Wolverhampton (30) to run out winners at the end of a great day's racing.

Mould led the trailblazing Comets with another unbeaten 16, supported by Mildon (13) and backed up by Smith (9), Garnett (5) and Bristowe (5).

The 2019 cup final was held in Manchester where the Gin Pit circuit was in fine condition despite the heavy overnight rain.

Poole led after the first round of B grade races, but Ipswich took a commanding lead by the time the A grade riders had completed their first round, leading the Comets by eight points with Manchester on 18 and Coventry a further four points back.

Ipswich still held the lead after 16 races, but some impressive riding by the Manchester squad saw them pull clear of the other two clubs to take second place with the interval scores showing Ipswich 50, Manchester 42, Poole 33 and Coventry 31.

Comets opened the second half with a fighting display to win six of the next round of eight races to close within eight points of Ipswich, who led on 68, and two points behind second-placed Manchester. Two more exciting race wins saw the Comets grab second place from the Manchester side, but Ipswich stepped up a gear-winning five successive races to take the title leaving Poole to settle for the silver medals after 32 hard-fought races, which were presented by British Cycling’s delivery director Danielle Every and British Cycling’s governance manager Alex Peet.

2019 British Cycle Speedway Cup final result: Ipswich 94 Poole 79, Manchester 75, Coventry 62.

Poole A grades: Ben Mould 11, Fraser Garnett 11, Aaron Smith 9, Matt Mildon 9.

B grades: Wil Bristowe 11, Jay Briggs 11, Kyran Yeatman 11, Nathan Goulden 6.