PICTURE GALLERY: Armoy toasts a successful second year

RYAN Farquhar enhanced his reputation as the country's leading National road racer as he rattled off another four victories at Saturday's superb Armoy Road Races.

Farquhar won both Superbike races, including the feature 'Race of Legends,' from circuit newcomer Keith Amor and cruised to comfortable wins in the Supertwins 650 and Moto 450 races on a record-breaking day at Armoy, when the lap records tumbled in every class.

The Kawasaki top gun made all the running in the Irish Championship Superbike race and had two seconds to spare over Falkirk man Amor at the flag, who began to claw back some time on the Dungannon ace after forcing his way past Michael Dunlop.

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However, with the race distance reduced to six laps on Saturday as the organisers attempted to make up for lost time after they were forced to run several practice sessions before racing commenced, Amor ran out of time and Farquhar opened his account. Dunlop was third with the top six completed by Adrian Archibald, William Dunlop and Davy Morgan.

Amor made amends as he triumphed in a stunning Supersport race from Farquhar and William Dunlop and the Scot was leading the feature 'Race of Legends' on the final lap until he was baulked by a backmarker.

Farquhar didn't need a second invitation and he snatched an opportunistic victory to pocket the 1,500 cheque, with a furious Amor taking second on his BMW and Michael Dunlop third.

"I've been in situations like that in the past when I've lost out on a race win and it's just one of those things – I don't think you could blame anyone for what happened," Farquhar said.

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"We came upon two backmarkers on the last lap after the jump and I wasn't sure which side to pass them on. Keith went to the right but he had a bit of a coming together with one of them and I went through on the inside and was able to keep it pinned to the line.

"The two of us were riding really hard on Saturday and probably over the limit at times, but that's what it takes now to win races," he added.

"I did everything I could to win the 600 race, but I was riding the bike as hard as I could and Keith passed me over the jump and defended his line into the last corner, so there was nothing I could do."

A bitterly disappointed Amor felt he had the race in the bag until his unwanted encounter with a slower rider on the final lap of six.

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"It's really disappointing to lose like that and I felt I had the race won," Amor said. "I got caught up with a backmarker on the last lap and Ryan got through."

Adrian Archibald twice finished in fourth place in the Superbike races.

Farquhar may have won four races on Saturday, but it wasn't enough to earn him the man of the meeting award, which went to 125cc and 250cc race winner William Dunlop.

"The club did a great job after all the rain we had on Friday night and it was another successful event, but one thing I was disappointed with was the man of the meeting award," Farquhar said.

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"They gave it to William Dunlop even though I won four races and got a second place. They said the 450 race was an Irish championship race and didn’t count towards the award, but the main Superbike race wasn’t an Irish championship race but yet it counts towards the man of the meeting, so that doesn’t add up.

“The way I see it the club geared the whole thing so a Dunlop would win the award.”

Dunlop won the 125cc race by almost 14 seconds from Paul Robinson, but was made to work hard for his double in the 250cc race after a poor start.

He hit the front with two laps remaining, but couldn’t shake off Darren Burns and only half a second separated the pair at the finish, with Davy Morgan third.

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Dean Harrison followed up his brace in the Junior and Senior Support races at the Mid-Antrim 150 with another pair of wins on Saturday.

The lap records fell in every class, with Farquhar setting a new absolute course record for the three-mile Armoy course in the feature Superbike race at 103.380mph.