Racing at the Pre-TT Classic got off to a cracking start in near-perfect conditions at Billown on Saturday evening.

Mike Hose and Will Loder were enjoying themselves so much in the Singles race that they carried on for an extra lap, but later said they hadn’t seen any flags.

The pair had a close battle throughout but ultimately wily Hose made use of a lapped rider in a twisty section of the course to put some light between his trusty Bultaco and Loder’s Greeves Oulton to grab his fifth win in the race and extend his overall record tally to 21.

Third over the line was Ballymena’s Barry Davidson who recently clocked up his 100th win in Ireland, but this was his maiden 250cc class victory in the Pre-TT.

Andy Hunt was fourth overall and second 250, followed by Adrian Skaife on the third of the 350s.

Dom Herbertson clocked his sixth win in the Pre-TT Classic when taking the 1100cc race after a cracking battle with Adam McClean.

Third place went to Andy Hornby of Exeter on the big 750cc Triumph, repelling a late charge from slow-starting Jamie Coward on the 500cc Manx Norton.

The lap record in the Junior Superbike race was knocked sideways by Pontypool’s Rhys Hardisty and Chris Moore of New Mills.

Hardisty led throughout on his 250 Yamaha but Moore closed the gap with a superb final lap to wrestle the record away at 95.8mph, some consolation for not winning the race.

Regular visitor Tom Snow, of Guildford, grabbed another podium finish in third, with Glen Auldyn resident Gareth Arnold fourth on a similar TZ250.

The opening sidecar race of the Blackford Financial Services-sponsored meeting proved somewhat attrition despite only covering a distance of 19 miles.

Bob Dawson and Mathew Sims led early on aboard the 1,070cc BMW, but were replaced by Kieran Clarke and newcomer Andrew Johnson on lap two.

The latter pair looked set to take the laurels until gremlins struck on the final lap when enjoying a 7.6 second advantage.

‘It was a battle of survival at the end,’ said a surprised but delighted Dawson after his first win on the course. ‘I saw Kieran (Clarke) with his hand up and pulling over at the back of the circuit.’

Jack Gristwood and newcomer passenger Alice Smith were runners-up, the latter admitting that she was so busy holding on that she was unaware what position they were in.

Her father, Andy Smith, retired from second place with Mike Bellaby.

Third went to Danny Quirk of Halifax and Dylan Weston of Leicester on the 1,275cc Bella Vincent.

The action on the Billown circuit concludes this afternoon.

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