SCOTTISH OPEN: FIELD COMPLETE FOR THE DAVID HARRISON FORD OPEN

NEWS Friday 16th March 2012, 1:52pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

The final three names for next Friday’s season opening David Harrison Ford Scottish Open at Armadale are Monarchs’ own Andrew Tully plus the powerful Danish star Ulrich Ostergaard from Redcar, and Elite League Aussie Ty Proctor of Wolverhampton.

Of course we all knew Andrew would be in it – the top home average rider has been a strong contender in the Open for the last few years with a best placing of third in 2010.

The addition of Ostergaard also gives the meeting one of its strongest contenders – his last Armadale appearance was in the final meeting of 2009 for Belle Vue when he scored a six-ride paid maximum!

He was the top Premier rider of 2008 when he was with Reading, and has ridden since then in the Elite League, having a good year at Birmingham last season in spite of a bad leg injury which ended his 2010 season.

He is a very big signing for Redcar this season and won’t be far away next Friday.

For Ty Proctor 2012 is a big season – he is an established Elite League second string, but as his mentor Dan Giffard said recently “with the investment he has made this season, it’s borderline do or die – he has to make that jump from second string to heat leader in the Elite League, and the same on the continent. The bikes and everything can be right but once the clutch drops it is all down to him!”

It would be hard to imagine a more even field, it must surely be the best in the Armadale era (and a vindication of the decision to start the season with this big event), so the stage is set for a thrilling start to the 2012 season at Armadale.

Bob Harrison of Harrison Ford cars made the draw at the Scotwaste Monarchs' press launch in Bathgate today. It is:

1.  Richard Lawson

2.  Rene Bach

3.  James Grieves

4.  Olly Allen

5.  Aaron Summers

6.  Ty Proctor

7.  Kevin Doolan

8.  Mark Lemon

9.  Theo Pjiper

10.  Kevin Wölbert

11.  Derek Sneddon

12.  Ulrich Ostergaard 

13.  Andy Tully

14.  Craig Cook

15. Matthew Wethers

16.  Josh Grajczonek