NEIL Street insists Darcy Ward will put on a great show in the three-round world under-21 final – despite almost suffering a shock exit in his semi at Landshut.

But Australia’s former boss believes it’s asking a lot of Pirates’ star to complete back-to-back junior championship triumphs.

Ward, defending the title he won last year, only scrambled through in Germany by claiming the seventh and last qualifying spot with nine points.

He took advantage of fellow Poole Castle Cover rider Artur Mroczka’s misfortune, pipping him by one point.

The luckless Pole pulled up in his final outing while second at the end of lap three, thinking he’d completed the regulation four circuits, before finishing last.

That left a stunned Mroczka on eight points, with Ward’s heat-20 third place enough to see him through to the final at Gdansk (July 17), Daugavpils (August 7) and Pardubice (October 2).

Street said: “Darcy will put on a great show in the final, but to win it again on those big tracks against the young, but experienced continentals is a tall order.

“Having three rounds, instead of one in previous years, could work in his favour, but you have to remember the Poles and other continentals have grown up on those big open circuits.

“It’s a lot to expect from a young kid to beat the Europeans in their back yard over three rounds, but there’s no reason why he can’t push for the top three overall.”

Despite his lifelong alliance to Australian speedway, Street had genuine words of sympathy for Mroczka.

Street said: “If Artur did shut off his gas after three laps because he thought the race was over it’s a big shame.

“You have to feel for him because it’s bad luck.

“Hopefully, there might be a vacancy for a Pole in the final and they’ll consider giving him that.”

Street, who first raced in the 1950s, added: “I’ve never seen or heard of a rider thinking a race was over after three laps before.

“There’s more likelihood of them doing a fifth lap because they haven’t seen the flag.”