Great show by Monarchs in a big win

The Stellar Monarchs turned on the style tonight in a match which seemed likely to be tight in the early stages. Just six points in front at the heat 8 with Scunthorpe still retaining their tactical option as well as a very good reserve in Nathan Ablitt, Monarchs made light of it from that point on with some determined and exciting performances.

Satisfied team manager Alex Harkess said "It was a very, very good performance. Young Max was understandably rusty on his return but the other six all did well. The only last place any of our top five got was when Paco suffered a broken frame in his second ride."

Chosen as Monarch of the Match in the fans' vote, paid maximum man Justin Sedgmen added "We needed a good job from all of us and we got it. When you look down our side and the way we are riding, we should be winning with a bit to spare at home. Heats 13 and 15 were good with Josh, I'm gating better so I took gate 2 in heat 15 and let Josh come round the outside.

"The team is working well, I'm quite quiet and like to do my own thing but I will help where I can, and Paco does an excellent job of getting everyone fired up. We should have a good chance for the aggregate bonus next week but Scunthorpe are really dialled in at home, so it may be a different story!"

Monarchs' new pairings worked well from the off with Pickering and Thomson taking a 5-1 over Howarth in the opening heat. Danger man Ablitt won heat 2, a Scunthorpe advantage, but Castagna was back in the groove to win heat 3 with Fredriksen adding the point.

Sedgmen's fast gating brought him wins in heats 4 and 7 and when Thomson won heat 8, Monarchs were six ahead having had 6 heat winners. However it was expected that Scorpions would be right in contention over the next few heats, especially with Howarth taking a tac sub ride alongside Allen in heat 9. What a race this one was.

Allen sped off in front with Castagna at the rear initially, and Fredriksen battling to keep Howarth at the back. This he managed very well but Castagna pulled off a miraculous chase and pass on Allen for a crucial 4-2.

Pickering and Thomson then pushed Howarth back to third in his rider replacement ride in the next one, and it wasn't proving to be Kyle's night. It got worse when he suffered a 2-minute exclusion in heat 11, making Sedgy's third race win easier than it might have been. Mind you no-one was beating him out of the gate tonight.

Connor Coles produced his best ride of the night with a second in heat 12, as Fredriksen battled all race to overtake Ablitt and share another one.

It was virtually all over when the top two took a comfortable 5-1 in heat 13, and fast gate by Sedgmen and a cunning inside switch by Pickering setting it up.

Paco won a heat 14 rerun and the top two finished the job in the last one, completing an excellent performance. It was a much better match than the final score suggests.

We would like to think we have a decent chance of the aggregate bonus but everyone knows how good Scunthorpe are at home!

Monarchs Looking To Climb

The Stellar Monarchs' recent resurgence in their quest for Championship points fell just shy at Redcar Bears' Ecco Arena last Friday evening although the eight point margin of defeat hardly reflected just how close-run a tussle it was right up until the final heat.

Indeed, for the previous 14 heats, we remained well in contention, never at any time allowing Redcar the opportunity to open up a lead greater than four points.

And that was precisely the difference between the teams going into a nominations race-off that would serve as a final do-or-die showdown.

It wasn't to be, of course. Neither Josh Pickering nor skipper Paco Castagna was able to make his mark and the chances of forcing the Super Heat quickly disintegrated as Bears' chosen pair, Charles Wright and Danny King roared to a decisive 5-1.

The final scoreline certainly flattered the hosts although, given the respective form of both sides leading up to the clash, their was an air of frustration at a chance missed.

Top Monarchs on the night were the aforementioned Joshie and Paco, both of whom recorded double-figure scores.

Justin Sedgmen weighed in with nine which he may well have been disappointed in having taken the chequered flag in each of his first three rides.

Elsewhere, Lasse Fredriksen managed five ( two third placed following a first in Heat 5) while Dayle Wood, deputising for Max James, scored three.

This Friday the Stellar Monarchs return to Armadale where they take on early 2024 shock troops, the table-topping Ellie Rose Travel Scunthorpe Scorpions in a fixture rearranged from its 24th May postponement.

The Lincolnshire outfit's only defeat from their opening five outings has been away to Oxford, and at 55-34 it was a fairly hefty reversal too.

Both of their victories on the road, over Berwick and Redcar, were exceedingly tight affairs (46-44 in each case) so, despite their lofty position leading the Championship, they would appear not to be infallible, particularly away from their Normanby Road base.

Good news for the Scorpions is that No.1, Kyle Howarth, seems to be well on the way to correcting a sluggish start to the season while, in Brisbane born Jake Allan, manager David Howe can rely on a second heat leader capable of conjuring up a strong performance around the West Lothian circuit.

Scunthorpe had no fewer than three riders featuring in the recent British Final, Howarth, Connor Mountain and Simon Lambert, and the No.1 apart, the other pair are always worthy of the keenest attention when named in an opposing line-up.

At reserve for the Scorpions, Nathan Ablitt and Luke Harrison are among this country's brightest talents and both have been clocking up healthy points tallies of late, so the visitors will be frustrated that Harrison misses out due to Team GB duty, former Monarch Academy man Mickie Simpson steps in.

Unfortunately for Scunthorpe, broken collarbone victim, Michael Palmer Toft, invariably a thorn in our side, continues to be sidelined and rider replacement will operate all of the Lincolnshire side able to take a ride.

Better news for Edinburgh on the injury front is that Max James returns to what will be a full-strength septet as the Stellar Monarchs look to start an upward trajectory with two thirds of the season remaining.