NEIL Middleditch believes Chris Holder’s spectacular Grand Prix Challenge success at Coventry two weeks ago could help inspire the Aussie to more glory on the same track tonight.

The Pirates star lines up at Brandon (7.45pm) as one of the favourites to lift the Elite League Riders’ Championship crown, particularly as it’s unlikely reigning title-holder Jason Crump will be fit to ride.

Holder was sensational as he reeled off four straight race wins to seal his place in next year’s GP series 14 days ago, despite losing out on the title laurels to Magnus Zetterstrom in a run-off.

With the Aussie also going into tonight’s meeting on the back of sealing consecutive Swedish Elite League titles with Lejonen on Wednesday, it would take a brave man to bet against him enhancing his growing reputation.

Poole Castle Cover team manager Middleditch said: “Chris is on a high at the moment and has been riding really well everywhere he goes.

“He has a good future in front of him in the GP and will be a huge addition to that competition.

“Emil Sayfutdinov has brought a lot of excitement and youthfulness to the GP and Chris will do the same.

“He’ll help break down the dominance of the older lads who can’t go on riding forever.

“People like Emil and Chris are future world champions and they can both handle the pressure of expectancy placed on them by others.

“Chris has beaten all the current GP riders in the Polish and Swedish leagues, so I don’t think the GP will faze him.

“That’s why he won’t be overawed by tonight’s meeting at Coventry where he should do well.

“He was on fire at Brandon two weeks ago and I expect more of the same tonight.”

Holder and Hans Andersen are aiming to become only the third Poole riders to lift the ELRC title since the event began in 1965, emulating Tony Rickardsson (2002) and Bjarne Pedersen (2004), who both triumphed at Wimborne Road.

Assessing Andersen’s chances, Middleditch said: “Just like Chris, Hans is on a high at the moment.

“And he proved his worth in the GP with his second place in Italy last weekend.

“He’s been on the podium three times in the past six rounds. That speaks volumes, and he’ll be sorely missed if he doesn’t clinch a top-eight place in the final round at Bydgoszcz.

“So Hans is going to Coventry in a good frame of mind and I’d love to see a Pirates one-two.

“If not, hopefully we can get both on the podium, with either Chris or Hans winning, especially after they won the Elite League Best Pairs together earlier this year,” added Middleditch.

ELRC line-up: I J Davidsson (Lakeside), 2 D Watt (Eastbourne Eagles), 3 S Nicholls (Ipswich Witches), 4 N-K Iversen (Peterborough Panthers), 5 C Holder (Pirates), 6 K Bjerre (Peterborough), 7 L Richardson (Lakeside), 8 M Zagar (Swindon Robins), 9 E Kennett (Coventry), 10 F Lindgren (Wolves), 11 K Kasprzak (Belle Vue), 12 R Miskowiak (Ipswich), 13 H Andersen (Pirates), 14 J Crump (Belle Vue), 15 C Harris (Coventry), 16 L Adams (Swindon).