Two Monarchs in the Bonanza

NEWS Wednesday 11th March 2026, 5:34pm

by Mike Hunter and Graham Muncie

  Edinburgh Monarchs

One of the most important of the early meetings in the forthcoming season is the Ben Fund Bonanza which this year is sponsored by Allied Vehicles, and which is for the second time being staged at Ashfield (Saturday 28th March at 6pm). The Ross Eco Technologies Monarchs will have two representatives, namely Justin Sedgmen (making his fourth successive appearance in the event) and our new boy Dan Thompson who appears for the first time.

As with all the riders who give their time to appearing in the Bonanza, they are great believers in the cause, namely making the lives of riders injured while racing Speedway easier to cope with in many ways, including financially.

'Sedgy' said "I wasn't injured last season so I did not need the Ben Fund's assistance, but for what they did for me in 2024, I should do the Ben Fund every year for the rest of my career."

The Aussie has competed three times previously with a best score of 10 at Workington in 2024.

"I didn't know how many I'd done, last year it was at Oxford and I made the journey there. I'm living in Glasgow so it's obviously easier than Oxford, just 40 mins down the road. As soon as I saw where it was this year I approached them straight away and put my nomination forward to ride in it.

"It's the start of the year and everyone always want to do a bit of riding before the main fixtures start. Hopefully the weather holds so we can have a good day."

New boy Dan is equally effusive. "The BEN Fund is a cause that helps us all. I had been lucky up to the last two years that I hadn't ever really been injured but then I dislocated my shoulder the year before last and then last year I broke my scaphoid and the BEN Fund could not have been any more helpful or beneficial and I know all the riders are very grateful for that help, we would be a bit stuck without it.

"I am probably a little luckier than some of the older guys who have more bills or families to support but it is a very stressful sport when things go wrong and it is a short season to earn so missing out on a few weeks it can really hurt.

"The fact the BEN Fund reach out as soon as they hear of any injuries and even apart form the financial side they helped with my physio, I used Steve Williams from the GB setup and that was brilliant, it probably got me back on the bike three weeks earlier than if I hadn't which again helped me to get back to earning money and doing what I love so to be part of the meeting is really cool and I am really happy to be part of it."

Tickets for the Bonanza are available via the Glasgow website but equally you can pay on the day.