A first time victor and the 2019 Cup winner decided in classic Silverstone squabble
Jack Nixon became a British Talent Cup race winner in style in the final showdown of the season, emerging from the melee on the final lap as the overall title was decided just behind him: Scott Ogden vs Cameron Horsman, with the two going into the race equal on points. In the end everything was decided by hundredths at the line as Ogden was able to hold on for second, making him the Cup winner and leaving Horsman to complete the podium and end 2019 as runner up. As always, it was an incredible BTC battle.
Fenton Seabright got the holeshot from pole, the number 22 making a by-now customary barnstormer of a getaway, but Ogden was close behind as the number 4 rocketed up into second – and into the race lead soon after. Horsman, who started in P8 and had a little more work to do, didn’t manage to make the same magic at lights out and the number 23 wwas still eighth after the getaway. But no matter, 11 laps of Silverstone is a long way on a British Talent Cup bike, and there was plenty race to come.
Seabright was able to make a bit of an initial break, with Horsman then cutting through to lead the chase and the shoe on the other foot for Ogden as he slipped back a few places. But the number 4 fought back and joined the duo at the front, as did Rhys Irwin as the quartet battled it out. Horsman had hit the front, but Irwin didn’t let that last long. And then Seabright attacked, and then, and then…it was all-out war.
In the final few laps, it was Horsman ahead of Ogden ahead of Seabright with a gap back to the chasing pack, but Nixon had the hammer down and wasn’t going to let them escape. Horsman led Ogden onto the final lap, but Seabright attacked for second before Nixon put in a slipstream masterclass to blast through to lead. Ogden vs Horsman then lit up behind, with both returning the favour as the duel was once again at the head of the race.
Ogden attacked for the lead and it looked a done deal, but Nixon pounced as the door seemed to open ahead of him. Slipping back past both, the number 2 re-took the lead as Ogden kept the inside line and Horsman was left hanging it around the outside, with the run to the line the decider. Nixon couldn’t be caught, and Ogden was just able to stay ahead of his great rival Horsman.
With whoever finished ahead of the other taking the crown, the Cup came down to hundredths of a second after six Rounds. Scott Ogden takes the title after a stunning year, Horsman ends the season in second and Seabright, who ended the day just off the podium, was third overall. Nixon, the Silverstone first time winner, was equal on points with Seabright, however, but the win count puts the number 22 ahead.
In the race, it was Charlie Farrer who completed the top five ahead of Rhys Irwin, with the fight for seventh won by Jack Hart, ahead of Brian Hart in P8. Charlie Atkins was ninth, with Harry Leigh taking the final place in the top ten in the last race of the season. A six-rider fight for P11 was won by Corey Tinker, ahead of Jamie Lyons, Jamie Davis, Ross Maguire, Torin Collins and Osian Jones.
That’s it from the British Talent Cup in 2019, with Ogden the Champion and Horsman an impressive runner up after another stunning season of competition. That competition returns next year with a new format, so tune back in for 2020 and head to britishtalentcup.com for more information. In the meantime, thanks for racing with us in 2019.
