REPORT: Heavily depleted Cheetahs earn respectability at Edinburgh

SD TIMMO CAR SALES Oxford Cheetahs – tracking just three of their own riders – put up a battling display in their opening Cab Direct Championship fixture at Armadale Stadium in Scotland, before home side Edinburgh Monarchs won by 54-36 last night (Friday).

Oxford were also due to ride at Workington this evening (Saturday), but the meeting was called off at 11am on Friday morning due to a poor forecast.

Cheetahs – already due to be missing Erik Riss (still ruled out through illness) and Mitch McDiarmid (riding in Poland) – were further depleted when Luke Killeen (concussion) and Darryl Ritchings (battered and bruised) were involved in a four-man pile-up at the BetGoodwin Oxford Stadium on Wednesday evening.

Oxford’s three remaining riders were all outstanding at Armadale, with Sam Masters (12), Dayle Wood (11+1) and Anders Rowe (9+3) totting up 32 points between them. For Australian Wood, it was highest-ever score at Championship level, at the venue where he started his British career in 2023.

Cheetahs used three guests – Alfie Bowtell, Ben Morley and Oxford Charger Ashton Vale. None are currently riding at Championship level, but with eight out of nine Championship clubs in action on the same night, guests were limited. Oxford team manager Peter Schroeck would like to thank the three riders, plus Justin Sedgmen and William Cairns – who were due to ride for Cheetahs at Workington today – for agreeing to step in.

Masters won a shared Heat 1, but Edinburgh soon took control with 5-1s in Heats 2 and 3. But Cheetahs restricted Monarchs to just one further heat advantage in the next five races, with Rowe producing a good ride to win Heat 6 after coming through in the early stages to overhaul Drew Kemp and Jonatan Grahn.

That was a first race after a track grade, which both teams requested, after the track was a little heavy in the opening stages.

Both Rowe and Wood trapped and took a 5-1 over the otherwise unbeaten Sedgmen in Heat 9, which closed the gap to eight points.

Oxford skipper Masters inflicted the only defeats on Kye Thomson in Heat 11 and 13, as Cheetahs stayed within 12 points, before Edinburgh finished with two successive heat advantages, despite the industrious Wood heading home Edinburgh skipper Paco Castagna in Heat 14.

Dayle Wood said: “I messed up my first ride in Heat 2, when I got too much grip out of the start, but after that, I was pleased how it went. Sedgy (Justin Sedgmen) is pretty tough to beat around here, so that was a good race from us to get a 5-1 over him in Heat 9.

“I’ve ridden for Edinburgh for four seasons, so I’ve been here a lot, but it is nice coming here at this level and scoring well. The track is well prepared here. It was a little grippier than we expected tonight, and we got caught out by that, but it settled down and it was decent for racing.

“On paper, we do have a 1-7 that can win when we’ve got a full team out. It was hard coming here with so many of the boys missing, but all the riders who came in gave it their all and tried their hardest and we can’t ask more than that.

“I’ve got a 24-hour rule, so I’ve forgotten about Wednesday, when I didn’t have such a good night. You always have to move onto the next meeting and focus on that.

“I’ve started the season pretty well and I love riding for Oxford. It’s my best year in speedway so far. Everyone is just so good at the club and I’m enjoying my racing.”

The next meeting at the BetGoodwin Oxford Stadium is on Wednesday, May 27 at 7.30pm, when the SD Timmo Car Sales Oxford Cheetahs take on Edinburgh Monarchs in the return fixture in Cheetahs’ opening home meeting in the Cab Direct Championship. Tickets will be on sale in due course on the Oxford Speedway website at: https://oxfordspeedway.club/tickets/

In the meantime, Cheetahs head to Poole in MAXiCab Knockout Cup action this coming Wednesday (May 20).

Edinburgh Monarchs 54: Drew Kemp 7+2, Jonthan Grahn 8+2, Justin Sedgmen 13, Paco Sedgmen 3+1, Kye Thomson 12+1, Mitchell Cluff 9+2, Jordy Loftus 2+1.

SD Timmo Car Sales Oxford Cheetahs 36: Sam Masters 12, Erik Riss R/R, Alfie Bowtell 3+1, Ben Morley 1, Anders Rowe 9+3, Ashton Vale 0, Dayle Wood 11+1.

PHOTO BY Steve Edmunds