An injury to promising young NSW rider, Alex Davies, at the final round of the Australian Championship final round at Newcastle last weekend, has left the young man with a chipped elbow, putting paid to his podium chances at Mildura this Saturday night, in the 2010 SportZprint Australian Under 21 Title meeting.

Davies showed good form during the three rounds of the senior series and was looking forward to coming back to Olympic Park to contest the Under 21 crown. Davies will be replaced in the field by lone SA rider, Robert Branford, making the first reserve, fellow SA rider, Ben Hatcliffe and coming from NSW will be Nick Rowe to take the second reserve position.

Davies could have reasonably expected a podium position at the Mildura meeting, which would have been a great way to embark on his British League career. Davies has been signed by the Kings Lynn Club in Norfolk and will take off to the UK in early March. Davies is the son of former NSW International rider, Stephen Davies and grandson of NSW stalwart and senior MA Official Keith Davies, so he has a good speedway pedigree.

Favouritism for the event remains unchanged, however, as current World Champion, Darcy Ward, from Queensland should win back to back Australian Titles to go with his current World crown.

Local rider, Justin Sedgmen, from his recent form in the senior Titles, where he finished in equal seventh place overall and his stellar first season in England and Europe, should use that experience to be one of Ward’s top challengers. Sedgmen has great current form and has showed that he has a cool head on young shoulders, so any surprise could see a major place on the podium for him.

NSW rider, Sam Masters, should be expecting a podium position as he has had an excellent senior Title series, finishing in tenth place overall.

The top four placed riders in this weekend’s Title event, will go on the represent Australia in further qualifying rounds of the 2010 World Under 21 Title.

Ward took last year’s Championship by storm, beating the top two meeting favourites, including one of them on his home track in Croatia, so to have a couple of other Australians in the World final meeting would be wonderful, as team mates can often help each other out deciding a point or two, or a special effort to beat an opponent when required. Australia has often suffered against some of the other nations as they have usually had more riders in Title fields.

Olympic Park gates will open at 4:00pm, with a Junior program to be the curtain raiser of the SportZprint Australian under 21 Title, which will begin with rider parade at 7:15pm and the first heat set to start at 7:30 pm sharp.

Download the press release: PRE Under 21 meet – Late change- Davies out, 140110