PIRATES team boss Neil Middleditch believes hot prospect Darcy Ward would be “very foolish” to reject another Grand Prix wild card.

Ward, who lodges with Middleditch in Sturminster Marshall, has vowed to bide his time as he weighs up his world championship options.

The 20-year-old has this season stormed to the top of the Elite League averages and has been in sparkling form for Poole Coastal Aluminium.

And only last week, reigning champion and two-time winner Greg Hancock said Ward would be a welcome addition to the GP circuit.

However, the Aussie ace has already turned down one invitation as it would have compromised his commitments in Poland with Torun due to restrictions regarding the number of GP riders in a team.

Middleditch told the Daily Echo: “It’s a big ask and the schedule is tough. Darcy is still young and says he is not yet ready for it. He has got some good crews behind him and maybe just needs a bit more help.

“It is up to him and, if he feels it is too much, then we have to respect his decision. In my opinion, it would be a great loss if he didn’t compete in the GPs. If they were to offer him a wild card next year, I think he would be very foolish not to take it.”

Ward registered three race wins and combined with Ricky Kling for a crucial 5-1 in heat 11 as Pirates won a rain-curtailed clash 37-35 at Eastbourne on Saturday.

“I know the GP is where I want to be in the long run but there is still plenty of time for me,” said Ward. “I am still young and just want to take it steady.

“It is another level, another practice day and another meeting. It is a big schedule and you have to be 100 per cent fit and have no doubts, mentally.”

Ward, who anticipates the one-rider/one-club rule in Poland will change, added: “I would consider the GP but just don’t know yet. I will see how it goes. Maybe next year.”

Pirates were forced to dig deep to bring up a club record-equalling 14th successive win of the season at Arlington – with Ward pivotal to the success.

Trailing by two points, his maximum with birthday boy Kling in heat 11 saw Poole edge ahead before the meeting was rained off after Chris Holder had shared the spoils in heat 12.

Ward added: “They graded the track a lot and didn’t really know what the weather was going to do so I think it was to our advantage. They dawdled and took their time and it backfired on them.

“It was good for us to keep the winning run going. It is not an easy track to ride so we were happy with the result.”

Eastbourne 35: R/R for J Kylmakorpi, L Dryml (1-dq-rt-0) = 1, J Doyle (0-2-2-1*-1*) = 6+2, C Woodward (1*-fell-3-2) = 6+1, L Bridger (3-2-3-1) = 9, D Gizatullin (2*-1*-0) = 3+2, T Lahti (3-2*-3-2) = 10+1.

Poole 37: D Ward (3-3-3) = 9, R Kling (2*-1-1*-2*) = 6+3, C Holder (3-3-3-2-3) = 14, D Andersson (0-1*-0-1*) 2+2, R/R for A Miedzinski, L Lindgren (1-1-2-2-0) = 6, T Kurtz (0-0-0) = 0.

• Sam Masters booked his place in this year’s seven-round world under-21 championship series after scoring 11 points at a qualification meeting in Terenzano, Italy on Saturday. Britain’s Richie Worrall also progressed but Poole asset Kyle Newman missed out.

Meanwhile, Adrian Miedzinski moved to within five rides of a Grand Prix challenge appearance after recording five consecutive second places in a meeting in Austria.

That was enough to earn a spot among nine qualifiers to contest one of three run-off rounds in the race for 2013 world championship places.