BEN Cook made a semi-final appearance in the second round of the Australian Championship at Mildura on Sunday.

In tough track conditions, Cook scored in all five of his rides to end the qualifying races on nine points.

However, he lost out to Brady Kurtz and Keynan Rew in the first semi-final, whilst brother Zach Cook and Josh Pickering came through the second after Jack Holder blew an engine.

Kurtz won the Final ahead of Rew and Zach Cook with Pickering falling on the third lap, and the Belle Vue man is now eight points clear at the top of the standings with 37.

Ben Cook is ninth at the halfway stage on 15, with the series continuing at Albury on Wednesday.