MATT Ford is confident he can bring another Australian wonderkid to Poole in the shape of Jack Holder – brother of Pirates captain Chris.
The Wimborne Road chief believes his club’s relationship with the Holder family could help seal the signature of the highly-rated teenager.
Jack Holder is fast making a name for himself in the sport as he bids to follow in the tyre tracks of older siblings and Pirates assets Chris and James.
The 16-year-old enhanced his reputation by securing a double triumph during the 2012 Australian Summer of Speedway – landing the under-16s 250cc-350cc solo crown and the under-16s team title.
And he could eventually become the third Holder brother to don the skull and crossbones – with Ford keen to add him to Poole Coastal Aluminium’s asset roster.
The Pirates promoter told the Daily Echo: “Jack has been to the town and knows what we are all about. I have met him and know his parents very well.
“Clearly with the relationship the club has built with his brothers Chris and Jim, I hope Jack will come into the Pirates fold in the future.
“He is only just 16 and has been competing in the championships out in Australia. The Holder family are very sensible and they don’t want to rush anything and they never have with any of their boys – even Chris delayed coming until they felt he was mature enough to take on the UK.
“It wasn’t that he wasn’t good enough when he was 16, it was just that they wanted to hold him back until he could cope and look after himself.
“I think that is exactly the same situation with Jack and it will probably be a couple of years before he ventures over to the UK.”
Ford has a track record of success with Australian riders in recent years, with Chris Holder, Darcy Ward and Davey Watt spearheading last season’s treble-winning campaign.
Ford added: “Jack is a Pirates fan now and I know that Chris and Jim have given him an awful lot of help during his, so far, very short career.
“But, in particular, Mick Holder, their dad, knows exactly what we are all about.
“He knows how I run the club and I feel that we are pretty like-minded.
“I don’t want to say it would be a shock if Jack didn’t come to us, but Poole is a good place for the young Aussies because it reminds them a little bit more of home with the beaches and the fun aspect of their life that they can have here as well.
“I definitely hope, all being well, that in the not-too-distant future Jack will come back and we can talk more about the future.
“I really enjoy working with the Australians.
“Their culture is not so different to ours and it makes life very simple.”
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