SWINDON Robins rider Nick Morris missed out on a place in the A final for the second round in succession this morning as he saw his chances of clinching the Australian Speedway Championship title fade in Victoria.

Having finished fourth in the opening round of the competition in Adelaide a week ago, the 22-year-old narrowly missed out on a place in the A final in Mildura at the last weekend, finishing second in the B final – with only the winner going through to the last race.

It was a similar story at the Undera Speedway track today, as Morris was forced to go the long way to the A final, having finished seventh in the standings after his five heats.

However, the meeting finished abruptly for the young Aussie as he fell in the B final and was excluded, ending his chances of making the deciding race.

Morris had started the event with a third-place finish, behind eventual round three winner and former Robins team-mate Justin Sedgmen and reigning champion Brady Kurtz, in the opening heat.

He was able to improve on that placing in heat six as he finished behind Belle Vue’s Max Fricke to take his tally to three points.

It was much of the same in heat 10 as a lucrative heat win evaded him, this time finishing behind Sam Masters having started from gate four.

It was Jack Holder who denied him the victory in heat 14 and Morris finished his final race in the familiar position of second, placing behind former Swindon skipper Troy Batchelor.

That left Morris seventh overall on nine points, with the top three of Batchelor (14), Masters and (14) Sedgmen (13) going straight into the A final.

Morris went in the B final but saw his evening curtailed by a fall, with Fricke claiming the last remaining A final spot, after Kurtz retired.

Sedgmen, who claimed the Jason Crump Invitational at Kurri Kurri on Boxing Day as well as making the final of the Jason Lyons Trophy at Mildura three days later, claimed the overall victory, finishing ahead of Masters, Fricke and Batchelor.

The 24-year-old now leads the overall championship by three points going into the fourth and final round at Kurri Kurri this Saturday.

Sedgmen, now on 46 points, overtook Davey Watt, who now lies joint third on 39 points, with Fricke, with Masters lying second on 43 points.

Morris has slipped back a place and is now in fifth on 29 points, behind Batchelor on 35 points.