There is excitement and intrigue aplenty at the prospect of what we are billing as Showdown Sunday, with the prospect of a very hard fought and compulsive league battle between an Edward Kennett led Bandits and a Joe Screen inspired new look Tigers.
The Bandits have a pretty good record around our Ashfield circuit and can count several track experts in their numbers. Look no further back than last Sunday when Kozza Smith finished as runner up in our Red Revolution Open, they have former Tiger and Ashfield flyer David Bellego, form Bandit Robin Aspegren and highly effective reserve Nicki Barrett. Bandits will also track Liam Carr at reserve on Sunday in place of Paul Starke. Leading the visitors charge of course is GP contender and Team GB World Cup candidate Edward Kennett who will fly in for the meeting on Sunday having competed in Denmark during Saturday night in a GP qualifier.
As a combined unit they will fancy their chances of taking league points from Ashfield this Sunday.
In the home side of the pits though will be a revamped Glasgow Tigers side, all fit, all rested and with two new faces determined to perform very well for their new club and supporters.
Tigers manager Sean Courtney has shuffled his riding order ahead of Sunday, however is keeping the details close to his chest until then!
We can confirm that Joey Ringwood appears to have no adverse reaction to his fitness test this week and is expected to line up at reserve.
Tigers fans will, as ever, look forward to enjoying the mega talented skipper Joe Screen in full flow and in particular his clashes with Kennett. Henning Bager, winner of three heats last Sunday will be relied upon to show his best battling qualities against the Bandits, as will James Grieves against one of his former sides.
Undoubtedly there will be great focus too this weekend, and beyond, on the latest recruits to the Stripes – Andre Compton and Jonas Raun.
Both riders will be anxious to impress and contribute solid points returns on their competitive debuts, and settle quickly in to their new surroundings. Certainly they should benefit from having ridden at Ashfield last week, and Tigers will certainly need both to score the ‘missing’ points from our recent meetings both home and away.
Off track there will be additional interest for both sets of supporters in some former riders who are planning to pop in to Ashfield for this meeting. Both David Walsh and Kevin Little have ridden for Tigers & Bandits in the past, and Blantyre era supporters will recall fondly the development in Tigers colours of David Cassells.
So, lots of questions will be answered on Sunday, and the track action will be hotly contested as Bandits sniff an away win and Tigers will defiantly look to show that they are now a different proposition.
Gates will open at 1:45pm, look forward to seeing you there. Give us a T ….