Winners podium at the Bonanza Image Credit: Ron MacNeill

Ricky A Bonanza Finalist

NEWS Sunday 12th March 2017, 7:15pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

Ricky Wells recovered from a first-ride tapes offence to win four heats and qualify for the final of the Ben Fund Bonanza, finishing fourth in a meeting won by Glasgow's Richard Lawson.

It was an impressive display of very sharp gating allied to quick, strong racing which gave his opponents no chance.

He was the second qualifier for the final with 12 points, equal with Chris Harris but with four race wins which should have allowed second pick in the final. Top qualifier was the very impressive Richie Worrall on 14. Richie was quite rightly unhappy when it was announced that his efforts would not get him first choice of gates, and the gates would be chosen by ballot.

Whatever then happened, Worrall did get gate 4 which he would almost certainly have picked, with Ricky Wells on gate three, Chris Harris on the unfavourable inside and Richard Lawson on gate 2. Wells seemed to be away well enough but he was squeezed out round the first two corners, as Richard Lawson seized his chance to go ahead. Chris Harris got into second spot but could not peg him back.

Our other man Max Clegg scored just a single point but it was not all doom and gloom for him on one of his bogey tracks. He gated well, but could not hold position in the early stages of his first three heats. He came down against the fence in heat 10, but in heat 16 he suddenly seemed to find a better line and remarkably held second spot ahead of Sarjeant and Summers for two laps. Unfortunately he then clipped the fence in much the same second bend spot and fell again. But the signs were there that he appreciates how he must ride on tracks like Ashfield and is prepared to give it a go.

The entertainer of the meeting was Chris Harris. He wasn’t gating well but his first ride in heat 4 was the highlight of the afternoon as he swept round Stuart Robson and Theo Pijper in exciting style. More than anyone Bomber was prepared to hit that wide line at pace.

There were other useful performances from Thomas Jorgensen, Steve Worrall and Aaron Summers, and the currently trackless Theo Pijper and James Sarjeant scored 6 each. It will be interesting to hear David Howe's thoughts after he scored 5 in his comeback meeting.

Pre-meeting drizzly rain made the track quite damp but the weather eventually cleared to allow a decent start to the season. The crowd seemed reasonably good with some fans making it up from points south, and the general atmosphere was relaxed as vital funds were raised for the SRBF.