TEAM NEWS: Sacked rider comes back for big meeting

The city racers have drafted in Michael Palm Toft as a guest to face the Tigers at the East of England Showground (7.30pm).

Palm Toft was released last month along with another Danish rider, Nicklas Porsing, to accommodate Panthers’ swoop for top Brit Craig Cook and local lad Tom Stokes, who has himself since been dropped after completing just one meeting for the club.

Palm Toft will take the place of Emil Grondal, who has an unavoidable fixture clash in Denmark, on Friday.

Panthers have also called in another of their former riders, Lasse Bjerre, to replace captain Ulrich Ostergaard, who is also racing in Denmark.

Promoter Ged Rathbone said: “There are occasions where Danish riders are required to put racing in their own country first and we have to respect that.

“It is obviously not ideal to have two of our own guys missing for such an important fixture, but I’m delighted with the guests we’ve booked.

“Lasse and ‘Tofty’ are both proven performers at the East of England Showground and we thank them both for agreeing to help us out.”

Panthers’ regular guest Kenneth Hansen is unavailable on Friday. He then races against them for his own club, Workington, next Tuesday.

Panthers are currently a point clear of three other teams - Glasgow, Somerset and Sheffield - at the top of the Premier League.

Glasgow could be top by the time they arrive at Alwalton on Friday as they also race at Ipswich the previous night.

Panthers’ latest signing - Zdenek Holub - is scheduled to make his debut against Glasgow.