Nutz

If you were to draw a graph of length of years riding a speedway bike at any level for both of them and graph it against achievement in the sport so far, Cook will have a much steeper line as his development has been much quicker and sharper than Bridgers. Maybe Bridger is 3yrs younger than Cook, but when you look at who's progressed quicker than Cook is by far and away the better option.

2 In-form riders??? Barker, ok... Not his biggest fan but he is on form for both Ipswich and Birmingham. Bridger on the other hand I believe has got in because he's told Middleditch he has fast bikes in Poland (in the "jhigh-class" second division by the way!!!!) and Middleditch has bought it. Cookie has been the best and most consistent of the Brits (outside of woffinden and to a lesser extent Harris) this year. He's banging in maximums for fun in the PL and being involved in Heat 15's (some last heat deciders and won them) in the EL. He's deserved his chance and should still be at Prague, end of. However, GB's loss is our gain and here's hoping he can prove Middleditch wrong by banging in big points at Recar in the league tomorrow... Question is, if GB qualify for the final and Bridger (or Barker for that matter) has a stinker in the Race-off... What happens? Do they stick with them or do they bring in another replacement for the final like re-instate Cook (on a track I think would actually suit him better than Kings Lynn) or bring King in or someone not involved in the SWC???? It's a big IF anyway as even with Watt out and Woodward in for the Aussies, I still think we'll be off the pace tomorrow. As for the report in the EEN? Maybe Cookie did say something like that to start with - in the heat of the moment - and of course any reporter (and this one is definitely no exception) will pick up on the juiciest wording to sell papers. It's what journalists do. Would take the wording with a pinch of salt but the passion as wholehearted.

Don't believe everything that is spouted in the press...

If Cookie hadn't have broken the tapes 3times, he'd not have been beaten the form he was in, which would've meant the opening race wouldn't have been a 5-1, his 15mtr races wouldn't have been 4-2 or 3-3... Swings and roundabouts really... Think a draw was a fair result though it's one of those meetings that could've easily swung to a 3pt home win or a 4pt away win in the matter of a couple of races really...

Clearly you know nothing of PL racing!

Now updated, many thanks

Definitely then if Tantrum was involved!! Gollob definitely, is tied in with sponsors so will be around for a couple of seasons yet... With Hancock sponsored by the same major sponsor then as long as he's got the hunger then I don't see either of them bowing out short term...

I stand corrected but I seem to recall that travel arrangements had been looked at ensuring he could get there in time for the meeting but his federation refused, them saying it was too tight to get him to the meeting on time... Damned if you do, damned if you don't!!!!! And if the appeal by Redcar had have gone in Edinburgh's favour, everyone would be on here saying it was the influence of our promotion on the board that helped it!!

Many thanks, now updated. Not bad at all - under 2secs outside of Nicki Pedersens senior track record...

Ah, I've still got a photograph that I took of my TV when the Premier League was displayed on Teletext... All meetings were completed and 2003 - Edinburgh sitting proudly at the top of the pile... It's a collectors item as we don't collect too many trophies and Teletext is a thing of the past!!!!

Well, sorry but yeah!!! I expect the scores to be a bit closer between Edinburgh/Somerset than Edinburgh/Workington would've been... sorry!!!

I'm a Monarch... Somerset v Edinburgh KO Cup semi final after this Qtr final put Somerset through...

Updated now with Cookie's record breaking weekend:)

Yay, and I get to see my own team again down at the OTA in the Semi's:) Life's good:) Somerset over two legs may be a tad closer than Workington, but I fancy our chances against the Rebels to reach the final:) Happy days:)

Very very tough encounter... If anything, our home form is more suspect than our away form but we can't allow the "Newcastle" cup match scenario again... As always, I think most will decide on the reserves and with Ellis showing good form last week (and sneakily seeing the track... grrr) then Ipswich are well suited to taking the Monarchs to a last heat decider tonight:( I think we'll need to take a double figure lead down to Foxhall to stand a chance, but can't see us doing it to be honest... 47-43 I'm going for (though I'd love it to be well into the 50's for the homesters)...

Well, my head says that Workington will be the slightly easier opponents in the semi final but my heart says Somerset so that I can see the blue & gold army back down at the OTA again!!!

Think the sad thing is that with the exception of 1 or 2 maximum, there aren't really any young guys coming through the ranks that can consistently match this pair... Is that a fantastic commendation to TG and GH for their outstanding performances meeting on meeting or a sad endigtment of the state of world speedway when we're still probably 3 or 4 years away from seeing the next breed of riders to match this pair?

UK selection got them running scared then - wheeling out the big-guns!!!

Don't think there's any shadow of a doubt if they finished outside the top 8 they'd both get picks... Lesser riders (Harris and Jonsson to name but 2) have been outside the top 8 and undeservedly received wild cards... However I can't see it happening for a couple of years yet. Although both have been mediocre compared to previous seasons, they're still making at least semi's on regular occasions. Consistency is the name of the game with these guys. TG has also got big sponsorship deals running for another couple of years so wouldn't jeapordise these. With Monster a big part of the GP series now and both works riders, there's no fear these two being left on the sidelines for as long as they're riding...

Why would he be caught behind the pits? Sure it wouldn't matter where he was;) Think this could be a bit of a rout the way the Lions are looking... Can only see Nieminen and Doolan posing a threat and even then they need to be on top form... Monarchs to hit 60 on the cards...

It's a brave move and one I admire actually giving a young local boy the chance to see how far of the PL pace he is... However, the other thing that's gone un-noticed is the switch to move Claus back to #5 so to give Theo a breather at #3 with the hopeful protection of Joe beside him in 3 of the 4 races... If Claus has a return to his form pre-Workington, we could struggle here as I don't see Leicester being weakened by the Bjerre being away... Could be a toughie if one of the top 5 aren' on song...

Wow... Has someone noticed there may actually be a speedway meeting being held tomorrow?????

Just how many times are you going to evade the question of how you're arriving at your mysterious top 10?

Updated to include Ben Barker's track record at Foxhall last night...

Can see two home wins by roughly the same amount this weekend - which would make any cup tie between the two, very attractive fixtures to say the least...