Craig Second Again

NEWS Monday 13th June 2016, 11:19pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

In a dramatic finish to the British Final at Belle Vue tonight, Monarchs’ asset and legend Craig Cook finished in second place for the third season running as Danny King deservedly took the crown.

Craig had followed a heat one last place with four comfortable victories, and lined up in the final off gate one, surely favourite to win – especially when he made the quickest start. But he hadn’t reckoned on a great ride from the Ipswich and Coventry rider King who got right out in the dirt and proved irresistible. It’s the sort of thing we have seen Craig himself do plenty of times.

King had been top scorer with 13 over the qualifying heats, so no-one can say it wasn’t a fair result. He rode well throughout and must be pleased that the meeting has been moved from Wolverhampton, where he isn’t a specialist.

Cook hid his disappointment well (as he did last year) and he has always got on well with King, such a very likeable character.

The other finalists were the excellent teenager Robert Lambert, and Stevie Worrall. So that’s just the two of the 2014 Monarchs in the final of the British Final.

Surely these four finalists will be the ones lined up to ride with Tai Woffinden in the World Cup, if Rosco has any sense.

It looked as though many people must have been watching on TV because the crowd at the National Speedway Stadium was pretty disappointing. Rain was falling much of the night and the racing, though competitive, didn’t feature all that much passing.