​Kelso teenager Troy Jeffrey at top of Scottish superbike rankings for his age

The Kelso 14-year-old saw off 20-plus rivals in each ten-lap contest at East Fortune racing circuit, near North Berwick, on a Kawasaki Ninja 300, reaching speeds of over 100mph.

Mum Allyson, there to watch the teenager in action with husband Ross and Troy’s uncle Andrew, told us: “It was absolutely amazing for us to see Troy win all the races.

“He always goes out and does his best. He’s determined. He’s a smooth and a fast rider.

“People thinks it gets easier watching your son compete as the years go by. I doesn’t – it actually gets worse because the bikes get bigger and faster, but he’s determined to compete, so I just take watching him in my stride and don’t let him see that I’m nervous.”

Kelso High School pupil Troy was given the Jim Oliver Memorial Trophy by the late Jim’s daughter Wendy for his wins at East Fortune and that made his day, according to Allyson.

She explained: “Jim liked to support young, up-and-coming riders and had the local garage in Denholm with Steve Hislop. Wendy runs the garage now.

“He came back with his trophy and £100. It’s not very often we come back from racing with money in our pocket!”

Troy’s success at East Fortune had felt even sweeter after his relative struggles during the previous meeting at Knockhill in Fife.

“At that meeting, we had nothing but gearbox problems with his bike,” she said. “It was down on power and he was struggling, although he managed to still win a race there and get a second, a third and a fifth in his four races, so to see him come back at the next meeting and win four out of four was brilliant.”

Round three of the championship Troy is competing in will take place at Knockhill this Saturday and Sunday, with three further meetings to follow.

“Hopefully Troy can win the championship, but in all sports, and in bike racing in particular, it’s never over until you pass the chequered flag,” said his mum.

“I wouldn’t like to count my chickens too soon, so I don’t want to say he’s definitely got it in the bag because it’s not like that at all.”

Troy competed in the British Talent Cup in 2021 and 2022, a support class for young riders, racing at top venues such as Donington Park in Leicestershire, Oulton Park in Cheshire, Thruxton in Hampshire, Silverstone in Northamptonshire and Snetterton in Norfolk, but he’s stepped back from that series this year for financial reasons.

He started racing aged six in minimoto events and practises riding on mountain bikes between meetings.

“For Troy, riding motorbikes started as a hobby competing on minimotos in Kirkcaldy,” Allyson said.

“Little did we know that we would end up travelling the length and breadth of Britain for him to compete.

“He has a long-standing ambition to ride at the Isle of Man TT.

“It’s an event he’s been going to since before he was even born. He has also been there as a spectator and really wants to be a competitor one day.

“Motorcycling is a sport where if you’re really, really successful and you get noticed by the right people, you can make a good living out of it, but it’s just the luck of the draw really if you’re in the right place at the right time.

“He’s definitely got the talent to keep doing very well.”

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