THREE races proved key as Oxford Cheetahs raced to a 53-36 home victory against Redcar Bears in their opening Championship fixture of the season.

It looked like it might be a tricky night for the Cheetahs, when Bears moved 16-14 ahead after five races, despite an opening 5-1 for Sam Masters and Cameron Heeps.

However, three successive maximums followed, with Heeps and Masters collecting the second of three 5-1s for themselves in Heat 6.

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Luke Killeen and Scott Nicholls took a 5-1 from Heat 7, with skipper Nicholls settling behind his younger teammate after Dan Thompson had crashed out while chasing the Oxford duo.

Heat 8 saw Redcar’s Jonas Knudsen lead initially, but under pressure from both Oxford riders. Ashton Boughen passed the Dane on the third lap, while Heeps’ persistence finally paid off with a late dash around the outside coming off the final bend.

Those three successive 5-1s ensured the scoreline moved to 29-19, with the Cheetahs now in charge of the meeting. 

Redcar skipper Charles Wright was placed into Heat 9 as a tactical substitute, but 16-year-old Boughen won his second successive race with a superb ride, after rounding Michael Palm Toft on the second lap. 

Masters produced a wonderful team ride with Heeps in Heat 10, to collect another 5-1, with the Cheetahs at this point out of sight, thanks to a 37-23 lead. 

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Victory was secured with Killeen’s second heat victory in an eventful Heat 12. Heeps missed out on a paid maximum when he hit a wet patch and crashed in the first attempt to stage the race.

Masters only missed out to Wright in Heat 15, but was involved in some sublime team riding in his opening four outings, each of which resulted in a 5-1.

He scored 12+2, while another four Cheetahs were also paid for double figures, including teenage reserve pairing Killen (10) and Boughen (8+2), who both collected two race wins apiece.

Meanwhile, Oxfordshire-born Jason Garrad made his debut for Cheetahs in Heat 3. Named as No 8, Garrad took the first of the rider replacement outings for the injured Henry Atkins, but trailed home in fourth.

Killeen said: “I’m definitely happy with how it went. It’s the first time I’ve scored double figures at this level without the help of the bonus points, while it was also the first time I’ve won more than one race on the same night and the first time I’ve won a race outside of the reserves race in Heat 2. It’s all moving in the right direction.

“I’m starting to get better out of the gate and I’ve got more faith in myself on the bike and learning how to read the track in front of me.”