JERRAN Hart is aiming for Under-21 success with Mildenhall to bury the disappointment of missing out last season after a disastrous semi-final performance.

JERRAN Hart is aiming for Under-21 success with Mildenhall to bury the disappointment of missing out last season after a disastrous semi-final performance. The Fen Tigers' new star signing admitted a night of all things going wrong at Isle of Wight cost him a place alongside Elite League stars Lewis Bridger, Ben Barker and new Grand Prix ace Tai Woffinden.

It was a calibre of field that Hart would have excelled in, as the 18 year old proved by clinching the British Under-18 crown just five months later.

"I will start next year a better rider," he said. "I will be working hard to try different things and will be looking at new stuff when I ride in an individual at Scunthorpe next month. I want to make it into the Under-21 final this time. I had a bad night in the semi at Isle of Wight, where I had a big crash with Gary Cottham and bent my bike badly."

Ipswich-based Hart was impressed with Mildenhall during their negotiations and is relishing the prospect of having West Row as his home circuit and being the Tigers' No 1. He said: "It feels good to be at Mildenhall. There's a good bunch of lads here, the family can see me ride being local and you know what you get with the track.

“It's either really slick or really grippy and you can ride it non-stop as it's a big circle. It's going to be a new experience being at No 1, but it gives me a shot at having a go at the track record each time because the surface is at it's best in heat one.

“I'll either give it a blast in the dirt or hug the white line and see if I can handle the pressure. I'm sure with the fans backing we can make it very tough for away teams to unsettle us and win some silverware. I want to up my average in the Premier League from five to eight points and get a spot in the Elite League."

- David Crane