Reigning Sunflower Trophy champion Carl Phillips admitted he was “gutted” to learn that the final short circuit meeting of the year was cancelled this weekend but said the organisers made the right call.

The Hillsborough Club’s two-day season finale at Bishopscourt Racing Circuit in Co Down was called off on Thursday night following a Met Office weather warning for Storm Boelo, with heavy rain and gales expected.

In a statement, the organisers said the decision had not been taken lightly, but was made following ‘careful consideration of the forecast and the safety of everyone involved’.

Phillips won the coveted trophy for the first time in 2025 in dramatic style, snatching the win from British Superbike rider Eugene McManus at the final corner on the last lap.

placeholder image — Carl Phillips won the Sunflower Trophy from Eugene McManus (left) and Jonny Campbell in 2025. (Photo by Rod Neill/Pacemaker Press)

The Lisburn rider retained the Ulster Superbike title last month after a dominant year on the Bell Bikesport/B&W Racing BMW.

Phillips won 16 of the 19 races held on the M1000RR to seal the title by 57 points from former champion Jonny Campbell.

Last weekend, he underscored his pedigree with an excellent fourth place in a wet National Superstock 1000 race at Brands Hatch.

Phillips hopes to return to the British championship full-time in 2027 but says he will return to Bishopscourt to try and win the Sunflower feature race for the second time next year.

“It’s disappointing but I think it’s the right call,” he said.

“It just wasn’t to be and I was really looking forward to it because it was a really good line-up, strong and we were going to have packed grids and good racing for everyone, especially both classes [Superbike and Supersport].

“Disappointed, but they made the right decision looking at the forecast.”

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