Share Of The Spoils At Ashfield

REPORT Friday 31st July 2026, 11:58pm

by Graham Muncie

  Edinburgh Monarchs

It was another point on the road for Edinburgh Monarchs at Glasgow on Friday night as they battled to a 45-45 draw with the host Tigers albeit with a sense of frustration given the Monarchs held a six point advantage with two races to go.

As it was a heat 14 maximum and last heat four two for the home men would mean a share of the spoils as Monarchs number one Dan Thompson who top scored for the visitors with eleven plus one bonus said after, 'It is a good point albeit a little annoying.

'Tonight a couple of incidents happen and the track was tricky.

'They did a lot of work on the track and that caught me out a little with changes I should have made.

'Kye and I were confident in the last heat but once Bomber (Chris Harris) gets out he is hard to beat and we have to look at it at another point gained on the road'

Thompson's night started well as he rocketed from the gate in heat one to take the win after a restart and the Monarchs took an early lead.

Glasgow's middle order pairing of Chris Harris and Kevin Juhl Pedersen would put down a marker of big night's ahead in heat three romping to a five one maximum to give the home men the lead.

Heat five would see a repeat of this from the same pairing and the Tigers lead was four points after five races.

An afternoon downpour meant conditions were difficult and unusually for Ashfield gating was at a premium due to this.

Monarchs pair Kye Thomson and Mitch Cluff would fire back with a maximum of their own in heat six and when Jonatan Grahn and Cluff repeated the trick in heat eight the Monarchs had a four point lead.

There was a scare for the Monarchs in heat nine as Jordy Loftus would come down in a tight first bend, the youngster needing a large amount of medical attention for a wrist injury that would end his night, the hope this more of an impact injury than anything that will cause concern.

The next race would see the Monarchs take their third five one of the night as middle order pairing Justin Sedgmen and Paco Castagna would rocket from the gate to extend the lead to sixth

The Tigers are not playoff contenders for nothing though and with talisman Harris in irresistible form they could not be counted out as the former world number six and tactical substitute Leon Flint brought the home men back within two in heat twelve, albeit the ding dong nature of the encounter shown as this was quickly cancelled out in heat 13 as Thomson and Thompson restored the Monarchs six point advantage.

This meant the Monarchs only needed four points over the last two races to make it a hat trick of wins at Ashfield this season but the Tigers would not lie down as home reserve Freddy Hodder put in the ride of the night to pass Castagna and join Juhl Pedersen up front in the penultimate heat.

Then in the last Harris would rocket from the start with all eyes going to the back and the battle between home man Flint and Thomson for the difference making third place.

Flint would hold his nerve on the outside line to hold of the hard charging Thomson as it finished a point apiece for the great Scottish rivals, the return leg to come at Armadale next Friday night.

Glasgow Tigers 45 : Jeppesen 3, Hausl 2, Harris 14+1, Juhl Pedersen 8+1, Flint 12, Hodder 5+2, Hagon 1+1

Edinburgh Monarchs 45 : Thompson 11+1, Grahn 4, Sedgmen 4+1, Castagna 6+1, Thomson 11, Cluff 8+2, Loftus 1

Full Result Details