NEW Plymouth Gladiators signing Dan Thompson finished in an excellent third place in the British Under-21 final in Glasgow yesterday.

Thompson, a recent replacement for Ben Morley, is yet to ride for the Gladiators as all four of their matches since he joined the club have been rained off.

But he showed what a talent he is by reaching the podium in a top quality field of British youngsters at the Ashfield Stadium.

He managed 11 points in the qualifiers, along with his Gladiators team-mate Dan Gilkes, who also did the club proud, and the two of them then came through the semi-final, with Gilkes winning it ahead of Thompson, with Drew Kemp third and Jason Edwards fourth.

Poole's Anders Rowe was favourite to win the Grand Final as he had won all five of his qualifying races, with former Glasgow rider Connor Bailey two points behind in second.

It was Gilkes, though, who led away from the tapes before being passed by Thompson, who looked set for a stunning victory as Gilkes dropped back.

However, Bailey, who had been at the back, gradually built up speed around the outside of the banked track and managed to overhaul Thompson, with Rowe also passing him in the run-in to the finish line.

A third Gladiator, Ben Trigger, who had former world champion Gary Havelock helping him out and advising him in the pits, came 13th overall in the meeting after managing three third places for a three-point haul.

Thompson, who also rides for Ipswich Witches in the Premiership, said: "Glasgow is not a track I have enjoyed before, and I have never had any good results around here, so I didn't have high expectations going into today.

"I have been off form all season and haven't found my feet at all, but it was definitely a good performance I put in today and I am gutted I couldn't hang on to the lead in the final.

"I have seen a lot of comments from people on social media saying I am one of the weakest Rising Star riders in the Premiership, but it was definitely good to put in a shift today and beat a lot of those riders who are in the top league with me."

He added: "I am meant to have started with Plymouth but they have had four rain-offs already and I am just looking to keep enjoying my racing."

Trigger commented: "Glasgow is not a track I have been to very much on 500s and this was kind of more of a learning day for me, get a bit of experience and try and get a set-up for the track.

"It was a day of trying to find my feet and I come here in mid-August with Plymouth and hopefully I can score a couple more points then than I did today."

Gilkes won his first three qualifying rides, before ending with two third places, while Thompson won two out of his five races.

Plymouth's Cab Direct Championship meetings at Edinburgh on Friday and Berwick on Saturday were both rained off and new dates will have to be arranged.

There is no meeting at Plymouth tomorrow night.