Adam McLean wins prestigious Gold Cup race for first time at Oliver's Mount showpiece

McLean becomes the fourth rider from Northern Ireland to win the prestigious trophy along with Michael Dunlop, Ryan Farquhar and Lee Johnston.

Wet weather in the afternoon resulted in the race being held back until shortly before 5.15pm and it was Ulsterman McLean who overcame the tricky conditions on his way to victory on his Yamaha R6.

Davey Todd, who had dominated all four Supersport races on his Milenco by Padgett’s Honda prior to the Gold Cup showpiece, led from pole on the opening lap before McLean took over.

The Tobermore man had pulled a gap of 2.5s over Todd after three laps, with Jim Hind third on his Yamaha ahead of Derek Sheils on the Greenhall Racing Kawasaki ZXR750.

After four laps McLean’s lead was up to 4.9s from Todd, who now had Hind snapping at his heels, while Sheils was on his own in fourth ahead of Tom Weeden.

Hind passed Todd for second place on lap four but McLean was in total control by seven seconds going onto the penultimate lap.

He went on to close out victory by 8.4s from Hind, with Todd having to settle for the final spot on the rostrum, seven seconds further back. Sheils came home in fourth followed by Weeden and Lewis Arrowsmith.

McLean also bagged a hat-trick in the Supertwin class on a Ryan Farquhar-prepared Kawasaki.

Todd had been a red-hot favourite for Gold Cup honours after winning all four Supersport races comfortably on Clive Padgett’s CBR6000RR Honda, continuing his stellar form this year.

“Everywhere we have been this year, like the North West 200, Isle of Man TT, Southern 100 and Armoy, it’s been going well,” Todd said.

“Honestly, it’s hats off to the Milenco by Padgett’s team because they have done an awesome job and have given me a bunch of awesome bikes to ride on the roads and short circuits.

“We’ve had the North West, the TT, Southern 100 and Armoy, so it’s all building and learning for me – riding the same bikes for the same team – and on top of that, doing the BSB championship.”

Todd opened his account on Saturday when he beat McLean by 9.3s, with Hind in third.

In race two, Todd’s winning margin was 7.6s over McLean, with Hind again securing the final place on the podium ahead of Rob Hodson.

On Sunday, he sealed a hat-trick, beating McLean by six seconds with Hind 4.7s further back in third and Hodson fourth.

In a wet fourth race, Todd again had the upper hand, taking the win by four seconds from McLean, while Arrowsmith slotted into third.

Greenall Kawasaki riders Derek Sheils and Rob Hodson clinched a win apiece in Saturday’s Classic Superbike races, with Sheils sealing a treble after winning both races on Sunday.

Rising prospect Hind (Yamaha) was a triple winner in the Lightweight 250cc class.

In the Sidecars, Lee Crawford and Jake Lowther (LCR Suzuki) won all four races, while 12-time Isle of Man TT winners Ben and Tom Birchall (LCR Honda) finishing as the runners-up three times.