Academy looking for four in a row

NEWS Friday 17th July 2026, 2:35pm

by Iain McArthur

  Edinburgh Monarchs Academy

After the Edinburgh Monarchs boosted their Championship title credentials with an emphatic team display and a big home win last week, their Academy side will be looking to do the same thing when they host King's Lynn Young Stars in an important National Development League encounter.

The impressive Academy side currently sit at the top of league with three wins out of three after beating Middlesborough home and away and dominating at Buxton with a 57-point haul. They were denied an opportunity to extend their lead earlier this week when their scheduled visit to Oxford on Wednesday was postponed due to a clash with England's televised FIFA World Cup semi-final.

Title rivals Leicester Lion Cubs were in action this week though. A home win over reigning champions Oxford continued their unbeaten record and returned the pressure back to leaders Edinburgh. Neither side will want to drop any points before potentially pivotal home and away fixtures between the current top two in September.

Jordy Loftus was 'Monarch of the Match' last Friday with three good heat wins and he will spearhead the Academy effort from the number one berth again. Aussie Dayle Wood will skipper the side and wear the number five race jacket as usual and Edinburgh will welcome flying grass-tracker James Shanes back this week too.

Potential trump card Ben Whalley will still line up at reserve as a result of the 2-point average he was assessed with at the start of the season. The young New Zealander is currently averaging 7.78 after three NDL fixtures and is now performing credibly for Plymouth at Championship level too.

Jamie Halder and Anika Loftus also bring quality to the home team but there is one enforced change for Edinburgh. Vinnie Foord, who has yet to drop a point after his only appearance in the NDL this year, will be on Championship duty for Workington at Redcar on Friday. Team manager Scott Wilson has selected former Academy rider Mark Parker to deputise as a guest. The young Cumbrian has looked good in practice on his return to speedway and deserves the opportunity to show what he can do.

Popular former Academy star Mickie Simpson will lead the way for the visitors but King's Lynn team manager Jason Pipe will bring an otherwise unfamiliar side to Armadale. Already missing a trio of riders due to injury and suspension, the clash with the Redcar fixture has also ruled out top performers Simon Lambert and Jake Mulford who double up with the Bears. Charlie Southwick and Harry Sadler from Middlesbrough Tigers will step in alongside Leicester's Ben Morley and Seth Norman. Sam Woods is the other Young Stars regular. King's Lynn will also feature another former Edinburgh Academy rider in Lee Harrison. Along with Mark Parker, it will be interesting to see how the Academy's former riders look on their return to competitive racing at Armadale.

Against a seemingly weakened visiting team, the ambitious and in-form Edinburgh side must fancy their chances of an emphatic home win to maintain their league lead. In a tight title race, aggregate bonus points could be a deciding factor, so a big score in advance of the return fixture in Norfolk in three weeks' time would be very welcome.

ROSS COMMERCIAL FINANCE MONARCHS ACADEMY: Jordy Loftus, Jamie Halder, Mark Parker (guest), James Shanes, Dayle Wood (captain), Anika Loftus, Ben Whalley.

KING'S LYNN FOSTER COLDSTORES YOUNG STARS: Ben Morley (guest), Lee Harrison (guest), Harry Sadler (guest), Charlie Southwick (guest), Mickie Simpson (captain), Sam Woods, Seth Norman (guest).

Full Result Details