DANNY KING COLUMN: Well done Cookie but I’m gunning for my title back next year!

Witches team manager Ritchie Hawkins with James Sarjeant when James was a Witch. Sarj returns to Foxhall tonight with Workington - and in the reserve position. He could be a nuisance (Image: � Copyright Stephen Waller)

My 12-month reign is over after Craig Cook won Monday’s final at Belle Vue.

It was disappointing not to get to the final at the least, but it was a tough night that started poorly. In the end I was glad to at least give myself a chance of getting into the final.

But off gate four in the semi, it was always hard going, although I did get into second for a while.

After changing bikes after my second ride, I felt good as the meeting wore on, but it wasn’t to be.

Big congratulations to Craig Cook, who certainly deserves his title after so many close calls in recent years. And of course well done to my Witches team-mate Rory Schlein on his fine third place.

But enjoy it Cookie.... I’m gonna be gunning to get it back next year!

So, Craig Cook is British Champion – and guess who are at Foxhall tomorrow night - yes Craig Cook and his Workington Comets.

Alun Rossiter, Danny King, Adam Ellis, Craig Cook, Tai Woffiden, Robert Lambert. Team GB runners-up in last season's World Cup final. The final squad for this year's World Cup will be named shortly (Image: Archant)

Workington don’t have the greatest record at Foxhall, but with Cook in their side and a certain James Sarjeant at reserve.... yes I did say reserve, they are going to be tricky opponents.

Cook always goes well around Foxhall and I have had many dices with him.

But Foxhall is my ‘manor’ so to speak and I very much want to keep it that way, just as Cookie wants to keep it that way for himself at Workington’s big Derwent Park track and the likes of Sam Masters wants to keep it that way at Edinburgh.

Sarjeant could be a key man for the Comets.

He’s much better than a Championship reserve.

So, you can see we are going to need plenty of support tomorrow if we are to keep our unbeaten home record going.

It wasn’t a good night against Edinburgh on Friday.

Jason Doyle, set to test his fitness ahead of this weekend's Danish GP (Image: � 2013 Stephen Waller)

I expect you have read much about how we somehow managed to throw away a six-point lead and actually end up losing by eight.

It was quite awful to be part of to be honest and I can’t say I have encountered many meetings like it... ever.

Fans are rightly asking how we folded so badly.

Well, the track wasn’t great. It was rideable, hardly raceable.

It had been lovely in Edinburgh all day and they had rightly watered it. But then it started to rain at about 4pm and didn’t stop until 7pm.

The track was all over the place.

There was invariably only one racing line and when you tried to pass someone (It’s called racing), you got in all sorts of trouble.

OK, so we threw some points away and two 5-0s we conceded were just terrible.

No excuses.

Ritchie Hawkins and me endured a quiet journey home.

If you think as riders and management we just move from one meeting to another, then you should have been on the four-hour trip home with me and Ritchie from Edinburgh.

All you could hear was the sound of the radio.

I’ve seen Ritchie as hacked off as that before... but not often.

There was a lot of silence.

And so there has been with much of the team this week. We know what happened, it’s no good beating ourselves up about it. We just must move on and as Ritchie said.... ‘learn’.

My shoulder has been playing up.

I crashed at Edinburgh (as did most of us), and hurt the shoulder again. It’s been a problem for a while and I had to pull out Leicester’s meeting against Belle Vue on Saturday.

I’m sorry I had to, but it was very sore.

It still wasn’t 100% on Monday in the British Final, but it was good enough to ride.

Tonight I’m racing at Poole - a big fast track. So, hope the track is smooth and my shoulder holds up.

The season is really in full swing now and the World Team Cup squad is set to be announced by manager Alun Rossiter any day now.

Obviously I hope I’m in it.

I’ve had a few inconsistent meetings this season, but no more than many other British riders. I really enjoyed last season’s World Cup and would love nothing more than to represent my country again.

While on the subject of British riders, I see Ipswich’s Joe Jacobs has at last got a team place - with Berwick. Good for him, nice to see him riding full-time again.

See you tomorrow night at Foxhall then. Up the Witches

DANNY