PIRATES ace Darcy Ward believes a break from speedway has helped recharge his batteries and has been pivotal to his scintillating start to the season.

Ward played a starring role as Poole Coastal Aluminum hit the ground running by recording victory in their Elite League double-header against Coventry on Good Friday.

The 19-year-old showed his class to bank an 18-point maximum in the 49-44 triumph at Brandon and then carded 12 paid 14 as Pirates saw off the Bees at Wimborne Road.

Although Ward spent much of the off-season Down Under, he resisted the temptation to compete in the Australian Championship and also sat out the Aussie under-21 final at Kurri Kurri.

A hero of Pirates’ memorable double last season, Ward told Speedway Star: “At the end of last year, I was a bit over it all to be honest.

“I didn’t even want to ride in Australia and I knew that if I didn’t ride for four months, I’d come back hungry and I’d want to ride my bike again. I didn’t even touch a speedway bike when I was at home.”

Ward, the two-time World under-21 champion, also explained |his decision to reject a Grand |Prix wild card for this season, saying he hopes to join the World Championship ranks by 2014.

He added: “It’s just leagues for me now, which is probably not ideal but it’s what I want to do this year.

“I’m just riding my bike and earning some money and this is the year for me to do that. Then, I’ll have the money in the bank and, hopefully, step up to the Grand Prix.

“For me, that’s a huge step – it will be the biggest step of my career, I think. I’m only 19.

“I don’t regret not doing it this year.

“It’s still on the cards next year, but it’s definitely where I’d want to be the year after.”

Ward will be hoping to maintain his impressive start when Pirates host Elite League rivals Swindon at Wimborne Road on Wednesday.