Former Enkalon Trophy race winner Carl Phillips came out on top in a last-lap battle with Korie McGreevy to win the opening SBT Ireland Ulster Superbike race in the rain at Bishopscourt in Co Down on Saturday.

Racing on Good Friday at the 49th Enkalon meeting was abandoned due to torrential rain, with standing surface water leaving conditions unsafe.

Further rain on Saturday led to some short delays in the morning to allow water on parts of the course to be cleared.

However, racing went ahead, with 2019 Enkalon winner Phillips prevailing in a thrilling scrap with McGreevy to take the honours in the first trophy race.

placeholder image — Carl Phillips (J McC Racing Kawasaki) won the opening Enkalon Trophy Ulster Superbike race from Korie McGreevy (McAdoo Racing Kawasaki) and Daniel Matheson (LMLR BMW) at Bishopscourt on Saturday. (Photo by Rod Neill/Pacemaker Press)

Phillips, riding the J McC Racing Kawasaki, quickly took the lead from pole with McGreevy in pursuit on the McAdoo Racing Kawasaki.

Newcastle’s Daniel Matheson was trying to work his way into the mix on the LMLR BMW in third as Phillips and McGreevy pulled a slight gap.

At the halfway point of the eight-lap race, Phillips was only a tenth of a second ahead of McGreevy, with Matheson in third followed by 2024 Enkalon winner Ryan Gibson (Firewood Supplies BMW), Ross Irwin (Magic Bullet Honda) and Aaron Spence (Sebden Steel/Spence Engineering Honda).

McGreevy edged to the front on the fifth lap but Phillips’ response was immediate, with the Lisburn rider going underneath his rival on the brakes.

The two leaders were separated by only a few tenths of a second as the final lap approached, with McGreevy again making his move on the McAdoo Kawasaki to snatch the advantage.

However, Phillips refused to back down and reclaimed the lead into Ringawaddy, holding firm through Dunsfort and crossing the line to win by 0.110s from McGreevy, who gave it his all in second.

Matheson was 1.7s further back in third with Gibson taking fourth ahead of Spence and Irwin.

Andy Reid (J McC Racing Kawasaki) was seventh followed by Gary McCoy (Madbros BMW).

Reigning champion Jonny Campbell was last on the first lap after pulling to the side of the track on his Team 155 Racing BMW and failed to finish.

Manxman Conor Cummins (Burrows Engineering/RK Racing BMW) and Mike Browne (BPE by Russell Racing Yamaha 600) were non-starters.

McGreevy was a dominant winner of the first IFS David Wood Trophy race on the McAdoo Kawasaki by 15 seconds from Christian Elkin (DynoCentreNI Yamaha), with Matheson on the podium in third on his LMLR Yamaha ahead of Mark Conlin (Moto Market NRG Ducati).

Cork rider Browne was a non-starter on Alistair Russell’s Yamaha.