After two years away, John McGuinness showed he is still one of the best round the Mountain Course as he claimed a very comfortable victory in the Bennetts Senior Classic TT.

A crash at the 2017 North West 200 had put the Morecambe Missile’s road racing career in jeopardy, but he marked his competitive comeback with a flag-to-flag victory in Saturday afternoon’s opening race of the week.

McGuinness second Classic TT success on the Team Winfield Paton came almost at a canter as he finished the four-lap race 1 minute 13.072s ahead of runner-up Jamie Coward at the top of the corrected time charts.

An emotional McGuinness said after the race: ’It’s an unbelievable feeling. I never thought I’d be back in the winner’s enclosure after the state I was in following the accident. I’ve worked really hard to get here though and I’d like to thank everyone who has supported me during my rehabilitation.

The 46-year-old added: ’The bike never missed a beat.’

McGuinness enjoyed a dominant ride at the front, but the other podium places had swapped hands throughout.

Coward, on the Ted Woof Norton, had battled with Maria Costello, Chris Swallow and the fast-finishing Lee Johnston for a place on the Senior rostrum.

Costello encountered problems with the Team Beugger Racing Paton and was forced to retire in the pits at the end of lap three.

Coward held off the charge of Enfield-mounted Swallow and Johnston to finish second, Davies Motorsport Honda man Johnston pipping Swallow to third by 3.997s at the end of the contest which once again had a high attrition rate on machinery.

Local residents Chris McGahan finished eighth and David Madsen-Mygdal 12th.

Full report in Tuesday’s Examiner.