Anvil Hire Tag Racing’s Richard Cooper is hoping to make his MCE British Superbike comeback at Assen, after being ruled out of action due to a broken arm that he sustained at Thruxton a few weeks ago.

It was a nasty injury for Cooper but his bike has been left in the capable hands of experienced rider Glen Richards, who is racing in place of the diminutive lad till he comes back to the series.

Recovery has been going well for the Englishman, but he doubts he will be back for his local round of Donington Park. Cooper is not the only rider who is missing from the Anvil Hire Tag Racing outfit, his team-mate Mitchell Carr is out with a shoulder injury, with veteran racer, Scott Smart taking his ride while the Australian gets back to full fitness.

“It is great that Glen Richards is riding my bike and I couldn’t have a better person developing it – I would rather have him who’s experienced rather than a young kid trying to chase my ride. When I do eventually get back on the bike I think it will be better and that is the one thing that is keeping me going,” said Cooper, speaking to bikesportnews.com.

“Assen is my aim in my head, I think Donington Park will be too soon, even though the track would be my local round. There will be less pressure at Assen as it is a track that is away from the UK and I can get a feel for the bike again, and pace myself."

“But I have got to see how my recovery is going and I am still having physio and as a racer we want to get back soon as possible, but if Assen isn’t all in the cards then it will have to be Silverstone. The team have been really great with me too. I broke a couple of bones in my arm so it is a bad injury, but my recovery is going well.”