Belle Vue new boy Patrick Hougaard is poised to make a rapid step up the ranks at Kirkmanshulme Lane.

The 19-year-old Dane started on the bottom rung of the side on July 3 with an assessed four-point average.

But in a brilliant start to his career with the One51 Aces, Hougaard has compiled a splendid total of 34 points from five matches, highlighted by 13 in the home win over Peterborough a fortnight ago.

New riders need to have three home and three away matches before getting a new official average for team building purposes.

Hougaard will reach that point next Monday when the Aces face Ipswich at Kirkmanshulme Lane (7 45) and he will go into that match with a similar average to Billy Forsberg, Belle Vue's No 4 whose scoring has been affected by injury breaks.

Both have figures just below the five mark so Hougaard could go ahead of Forsberg after the match. If so, the new figures would come into force seven days later.

Aces' team boss Chris Morton said: "Patrick has made a great start to his career with us. I would not have expected him to be challenging to move up in the team so quickly.

"But I am comfortable with the prospect of having him up at No 4 because I am sure he can handle a position where he will get harder rides."

Joe Screen proved he was back to full fitness with a solid ten-point display in the 80th anniversary meeting at Kirkmanshulme Lane on Monday.

He has missed meetings recently because of concussion and a shoulder injury suffered in a big crash at Coventry.

Said Screen: "I felt as good as I have done for a while and I had no problems with my shoulder.

"It was the first time for a while that I had a meeting without any bother and that goes for my bike as well as myself.

"I've got my new engine from my Danish tuner, Brian Karger, and I'm really happy with it. It worked well for me on Monday when I was pleased with my performance and my form.

"I felt really positive about myself and my motors and I can tell you it was a good feeling."

BELLE VUE: J Crump, L Jankowski (rider replacement), C Gjedde, B Forsberg, J Screen, N Simmons,P Hougaard.

Belle Vue bosses were boosted by a big turn-out for the anniversary meeting in which Leigh Adams, Swindon's Australian star, won the Peter Craven Memorial Trophy in a run-off with Scott Nicholls (Eastbourne) after both had finished on 14 points. Aces captain Charlie Gjedde was third on 12.

Club supremo David Gordon said: "The attendance left me feeling even more optimistic about our future.

"I can only go on the message coming up from the fans and that was very encouraging. Chris Morton, Gordon Pairman and myself had a quick chat during the meeting and when we looked out at the crowd it was quite humbling.

"It was also quite emotional as well to see all these people who had turned out on such a special day. Such a lot of work had gone into it by a whole team of people and it couldn't have worked out better.

"There were a lot of new faces here and we gave them a great night's racing and entertainment.

"But we are not forgetting we are here every week and now we want these people to come back to join the rest of our fantastic fans and play their part in the future of Belle Vue.

"The strength of the club is in its supporters. We can have the best team in the world but if it's not well supported it will fall flat on its face.

"We have a lot of plans for the future of Belle Vue and it gives us a lot of encouragement to press on with them when we get a response like the one we had here."