Post by admin on Mar 15, 2008 6:53:35 GMT 12
Mar 13 2008 by Martin Neal, Evening Gazette
REDCAR Cubs have suffered a double blow just before the start of the new season.
Rising star David Wallinger will not ride this season and former Bears reserve Rusty Hodgson will be available for only a handful of meetings after moving south.
Wallinger enjoyed a stunning debut season in 2007 and was expected to be a key member of the TLS/Simpson Racing Cubs this year.
He had already shown his promise by winning an amateur meeting at Scunthorpe during the winter.
But the former grass track champion has put his racing career on hold due to family reasons.
Teessider Jitendra Duffill - who impressed promoter Glyn Taylor at last weekend’s Ivan Mauger training school - is lined up to replace Wallinger in the Cubs team.
And Hodgson, who was set to be a Cubs squad member this year, has moved to Dorset after taking a new job in his main employment as an adventure sports instructor.
He has, however, promised to try and make himself available if the Cubs are short-handed for any of their fixtures in the south.