PIRATES CAPTURE COVATTI

Poole Pirates boss Matt Ford admitted he moved quickly to snap up reserve rocket Nico Covatti after Somerset’s decision to drop out of the SGB Premiership was confirmed.

Ford confirmed Covatti as the Pirates’ first signing for the club’s 2019 Premiership title defence, with the Argentine a snip on a 4.70 average.

Covatti rode superbly in Rebels colours against the Pirates during last season’s title-winning campaign, including bagging a hard-working 11+3 in the second leg of the Premiership play-off semi-final at Wimborne Road in October.

Ford said: “Nico rode against us last season on several occasions and was a real thorn in our side and with Somerset not competing in the Premiership next year, he was available.

“We were ahead of the game on Nico as I had sounded him out about coming to Poole and I am pleased to say he was keen and it was a simple deal to do.

“It was only a year or two ago that he was close to qualifying for the Grand Prix so he clearly has an immense amount of talent. 

“Coming in on a 4.70 average also makes him very attractive from a team-building perspective. He’ll start the season at reserve but it wouldn’t surprise me at all if he was pushing for a higher berth.”