Dean Harrison wins Gold Cup for third time at Oliver's Mount from Adam McLean

The Bradford man took the win by just under three seconds from Adam McLean (J McC Roofing Racing Yamaha) with Cookstown’s Gary McCoy in third on his Madbros Suzuki, 18 seconds down on Harrison.

It was Harrison’s third win in the prestigious event at England’s only road racing circuit, where modern Superbikes have been excluded from racing due to safety concerns following several incidents at the 2017 Gold Cup meeting, when a number of spectators were injured.

Cork’s Mike Browne, riding a Kawasaki for Scarborough bike shop Allspeeds Racing, crashed out of the blue riband race.

Browne was leading by nine tenths of a second from McLean going onto the third lap, with Harrison beginning to close in on the leaders in third.

Harrison took second place from McLean and began to set his sights on Browne, hitting the front with a pass on the brakes on the fifth lap into Mere Hairpin.

With a clear road ahead of him, Harrison began to pull away and opened a lead of more than two seconds.

McLean, last year’s Gold Cup winner, set the fastest lap of the race as he moved into second ahead of Browne, whose race came to an end when he slid off at the Esses on the penultimate lap.

Harrison’s victory was his first Gold Cup triumph since 2016 and his 112th success overall at Oliver’s Mount.

The 34-year-old won the race for the first time in 2015 on the Mar-Train Racing Yamaha R1.

Wigan’s Rob Hodson finished fourth ahead of Joey Thompson, with Mike Norbury completing the top six in the eight-lap headline race at the 2.43-mile circuit.

Harrison also won the first Supersport race on Sunday by 5.3s from Browne, with McLean rounding out the top three.

McLean doubled up in the Supersport races on Saturday, when Browne twice finished second and Harrison third.

In the Classic Superbike races, Harrison clinched a four-timer on the Key Racing Ducati 916, beating Republic of Ireland rider Derek Sheils (Greenall Racing Kawasaki) three times.

Event newcomer Brian McCormack was fifth in the opening Classic Superbike race on Sunday, also riding a Greenall Kawasaki.

Browne, riding a Paton for Ian Lougher Racing, secured a hat-trick in the Supertwin class, beating McCoy (Kawasaki) twice on Saturday.

on Sunday, Browne won the opening Supertwin race by 1.1s from McCoy, who turned the tables on the Irish rider to win the second race by 0.263s.

Banbridge man Shaun Anderson, making his debut at Oliver’s Mount, was a double winner in the Support class on his Kramer.