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There was no stopping Wilson Craig Honda rider Cameron Donald as he wrapped up his third Enkalon Trophy victory in convincing style at Bishopscourt on Saturday.
Donald comfortably retained the coveted silverware in the feature race of the day, held in association with Adelaide Insurance Services, by 11.3s from Lee Johnston on the Clogher Valley Yamaha and Denver Robb from Ballymena.
The Enkalon race, first held in 1977 when it was won by legendary ‘Dromara Destroyer’ hero Ray McCullough, was declared a result after 13 laps following a crash involving David Haire, who escaped without serious injury.
Robb, Brian McCormack and William Dunlop on the second Craig Honda were involved in a close battle for the final position on the rostrum, which went to Robb, with McCormack, Dunlop and Stephen Thompson on the T&R BMW S1000RR the first six.
Adrian Archibald, preparing for another campaign at the National and International road race meetings, was eighth on the AMA Kawasaki, with Jamie Hamilton finishing 11th on the KMR Kawasaki Superstock machine.
Nico Mawhinney, who has stepped up to ISB level in 2012, was ninth on the Polaris Racing Suzuki.
Along with crash victim Haire, Richard Rea and Matthew Percy were non-finishers.
Donald, who is part of the Honda TT Legends World Endurance team this year along with John McGuinness, Simon Andrews and Gary Johnson, won the race with an average speed of 95.013mph, setting his best lap of 96.761mph on lap three as he put the hammer down to ward off the attentions of the chasing pack.
The Australian star’s margin of victory in Saturday’s Irish Superbike race was a whopping 17.7s as he took the chequered flag from Robb and Johnston, with Archibald, Thompson and Matthew Percy filling the top leaderboard positions.
Donald dominated the traditional Easter meetings at Bishopscourt and Kirkistown a year ago and it has been a similar story ahead of today’s Irish Superbike showdown on the Ards Peninsula.
On Friday, he won the opening ISB race of the season, which he followed up with success in the Enkalon and second ISB races on Saturday, plus a brace on Craig’s CBR600RR Honda in the Supersport class.
The double Isle of Man TT winner won the first Supersport race by almost 12 seconds from Mark Hanna, who was chased over the line by Dunlop in third. Haire, McCormack and Michael Sweeney were the top six.
Donald was declared the winner of the second Supersport race by 4.9s after poor weather led to the deployment of the red flags after six laps.
Haire finished second from Mark Hanna, Carl Phillips, McCormack on the CD Racing Yamaha and Derek McLaughlin.
