David Brook has found out that the motor-cycling gods giveth with one hand and taketh away with the other.

Just days after finding out that he had secured a helmet sponsorship deal with Napoleons Casino - he is raffling a professionally-painted replica helmet for charity - the Bradford racer broke a rib following a fall at his favourite circuit of Cadwell Park.

Initial news from the Lincolnshire circuit was good as the 27-year-old from Clayton Heights did a personal best of 1min 36.4sec, four seconds quicker than his previous best.

“I circulated at around that time for the whole weekend, apart from Sunday’s Motodex Performance First Pre-National 600 races, so I was absolutely chuffed to bits.

“It qualified me in sixth in the Elite 600 and second in the Pre-National 600 behind championship leader James Shaw.

“It was only a few tenths off the lap record too, which was reassuring.”

Howeve, things didn’t go so well during the 14-lap elite race on Sunday, where Brook admitted that he made a poor start.

He said: “I was almost in ninth and I stacked it on the last lap, pushing for position like a fool - a rookie mistake really as I had nothing to gain and everything to lose, and a gigantic high side out of the chicane at 70-80 mph wasn’t ideal!

“I played it down at the time and avoided a trip to the medical centre because I was out in another hour and the bike was a mess and needed to be repaired, but I was sore all over, but particularly my left-hand side ribs.

“It turns out that I broke a rib, having visited Bradford Royal Infirmary on the Tuesday, so to get the bike out alone for the next two races and to finish in seventh both times was good as I was hurting badly.

"The bike was bent from the previous accident as we just didn’t have the time to go over it with a fine toothcomb, and I couldn’t breathe properly so I struggled over race distance.”

However, hard work into the night by mechanic Phil Beckworth got the bike straightened out, and Brook confirmed it was back to its usual standard in a two-lap warm-up in the morning.

Brook added: “I opted to save myself for the races as I was still in a lot of pain but I got two seconds so I was happy with that all things considered.

“James seems to be going from strength to strength and although I’ve not discussed it with him, the programme sponsor suggests that he’s been picked up by a British Superbike team called G&S Racing.

“Next up is Oulton Park on June 21-22, and more engine problems that reared its head in the last race have left me struggling again with the pennies big time but I’m looking forward to throwing my leg back over the bike fully fit.

“If I can get a podium with a broken rib, then race wins are still not out of the question!”