BARKER & KNUDSEN COMPLETE BONANZA FIELD

BEN Fund Bonanza ever-present Ben Barker will be back in the line-up for the 2025 staging at Oxford on Sunday (March 23, 6pm).

Plymouth captain Barker rode in the inaugural event at Sheffield in 2009 and has not missed a subsequent running – and he says the fund-raising meeting will always be an important date on his calendar.

He said: “It’s no surprise, I don’t even need the invitation anymore. We’ll continue to do it until I call it a day. We’re still enjoying it so let’s keep it going!

“I didn’t really think when I did the first one in 2009 that I’d still be doing it in 2025 but it’s good, it’s an honour to be part of it.”

Meanwhile the line-up has been completed by Oxford Cheetahs newcomer Jonas Knudsen, who is added to a healthy home contingent in the meeting.

Spires riders Maciej Janowski, Peter Kildemand, Charles Wright and Erik Riss are joined by Knudsen and Sam Masters from the Cheetahs, with Dan Gilkes as reserve.