SWINDON skipper Troy Batchelor is expecting a “spine chilling” evening in Cardiff tonight as he bids to continue his stunning Grand Prix form.

The Aussie goes into tonight’s showpiece at the Millennium Stadium on a crest of a wave after plundering a massive 20 points in the series’ last round in Copenhagen, with his only blemish coming in the final where he finished second to Niels-Kristian Iversen.

Batchelor’s magnificent night in PARKEN lifted him firmly back into contention for a place in the all-important top eight, but insists there’s no extra pressure on him now despite the expectation of a repeat performance.

“This is the biggest of the best and I’m sure it will be crazy down there, it’s going to be spine chilling, so to ride in front of that crowd is amazing and it’s an achievement for me to have even got there,” he said.

“You have to try and block out the noise but Copenhagen was a good warm-up for this because it was a big crowd in a similar stadium and a similar track so that was good for me. That was my first indoor meeting so there’s plenty I can take from this one into Cardiff.

“I’m normally pretty chilled out, it’s an Aussie thing I reckon, and the more chilled out I am the better I seem to ride. I want to enjoy it but whatever happens, happens and I will be giving it 110 per cent.

“Getting on the podium (in Copenhagen) was amazing and I would love to do it again, it’s certainly doable on Saturday but it’s possible for every other one of the guys in there too because they are all good riders.

“There’s no pressure really and I’m just going to try and win as many races as I can.

“To get 20 points last time against those guys was amazing and everything went right, but sometimes it can got the opposite way and you get two gate threes and are out after every track grade and you just don’t have things going right.

“I’ll definitely go out there with a positive attitude and see what happens for me. If you go out and have a good first race you know you are on the money and you can work from there.”

Batchelor has not used the engine which powered him to success in Copenhagen since the last round of the series, but is hopeful “she” can produce the goods again as he powers his way towards the top eight.

“She hasn’t turned a wheel since Copenhagen but we’ll take it out in practice and hopefully it feels good,” he said.

“That one has been good for me for a few years and she’s always been one of the favourites, I have a lot of engines but you tend to stick to a couple of favourites.

“I rode her in Finland and it did well and then again in Copenhagen which was obviously good, so it has a good average in the GP.

“The top eight is not far away for me now and it’s only half way done so anything can happen. The table will be turned upside down between now and the end of the season I’m sure because nobody’s safe.”

After his heroics in Denmark, the Robins skipper sits 11th in the standings, eight points behind Pole Jarek Hampel who occupies the final spot in the top eight.