Motorcycling: Anstey and Donald on fire

Neill's hoping his boys rock the NW 200

Saturday, April 26, 2008

Team manager Philip Neill told me: "I see this as probably the hottest North West in recent years and we are certainly not hot favourites. That being the case I am delighted that our two racers Bruce Anstey and Cameron Donald appear to have started the season on song and they will be 'finely tuned' at Kirkistown next week when we put the finishing touches to their preparation.

"It's an exciting time and it's unlikely in my view that Anstey will land a treble as he did last year but then he is a rider who produces the unexpected and I wouldn't rule him out."

Anstey has already begun the season with a treble at the St Patrick's Day meeting at Bishopscourt and although he later had a forgettable performance over the same track on Easter Saturday Anstey is not really a short circuit rider and you can't blame Philip Neill for making enthusiastic noises about Anstey's prospects.

However Neill is even more excited about Cameron Donald who finished third in the British Superstock Championship race at Thruxton last Sunday.

Donald is no slouch when it comes to road racing but it came as something of a surprise when he zoomed ahead of the established stars on the track.

Neill said: "Cameron had told me he would ride well at Thruxton but I took it with a pinch of salt for he had never raced at that level before.

"To finish third behind Steve Brogan whom he also meets at the North West was something special and I'm looking forward to Donald being up among the leading group when it comes to the big race day on May 17th.

"It's easy to kid yourself that you have a great chance at the meeting and I suppose we have.

"But I'm not taking anything for granted.

"I believe that Anstey and Donald are the best we have in this sphere but I'm not unaware of the fact that Michael Rutter is beginning to hit form on the North West 200 Ducati and we also have the Honda rider Steve Brogan. Then you can't forget John McGuinness who is a class act in this type of race and although he hasn't had much luck in the Superbike classes I feel he will be once again the man we all have to beat.

"It's an exciting North West as far as I am concerned for it combines the best of the short circuit scene along with those who are particularly expert at road racing.

"I have to look at Ryan Farquhar who was in tremendous form at Scarborough last weekend and we also have Keith Amor and of course Rutter.

"Rutter has the best record of all around the North West apart from Irish riders with Robert Dunlop at the top of the heap. But Rutter has 11 wins and I know he is keen to raise the bar a bit further.

"He seems to be getting good results from his new Ducati which is backed by the North West and I suppose you could say it would be appropriate if he was to win at this particular meeting.

"Outside the North West 200 we are of course concentrating on the British Superbike Championship. Michael Laverty has given us a superb start and he will be riding in the next round at Oulton Park along with Ian Lowry who put in a classy performance in the Supersport race at Thruxton.

"It would be easy to say that everything in the garden is lovely. But if you take the fact that Lowry and Laverty appear to have hit their stride early on its fair to say we are more than just optimistic."

It's good to see the TAS team in such decent tune for in many ways they keep the game alive over here with their performances. As far as the North West is concerned, obviously Anstey and Donald will be pulling in the fans but there are a lot of riders who are not noticeable at the moment but who could bring out the big guns when the occasion demands.

Obviously Philip Neill is in the right position for he knows as well as anyone that you can quickly be knocked off your perch.