Seven time Duke Road Race Rankings Winner Ryan Farquhar returns to the fray at the opening round of the 2014 Series, the Ian Watson Spring Cup Road Races at Oliver's Mount on Sunday 13th April.
Ryan will be astride his familiar KMR Kawasaki machines and from his results at the short circuit outing at Bishopscourt in County Down he will be keeping his rivals old and new honest when it comes to racing around the 2.43-mile hillside circuit where to date he was taken 98 wins!
However, many eyes will be on the Tyco Suzuki duo of Guy Martin and William Dunlop as they commence their 2014 'roads' campaign. Guy, the current holder of the prestigious 'Steve Henshaw Gold Cup' finished fourth in last year's Rankings with William fifth.
Young top-guns from last season Dean Harrison, winner of the July 'Cock o'the North' race finished runner-up to Michael Dunlop in the Rankings, with third placeman, Jamie Hamilton making his debut on his new sponsor Stewart Smiths machinery and local rider James Cowton, sixth last year also impressing in his early outing on the short circuits will be out to renew their own rivalry as well as showing the 'old-brigade' that they are a serious threat when it comes to taking the chequered flag first.
Oliver's Mount will certainly not be a place for the feint-hearted, once the action commences with all ten solo races counting towards the Duke Road Race Rankings Championship, the first of 27 rounds in the 2014 series.
We wish all competitors a safe and successful days racing at Oliver's Mount and throughout the 2014 season racing
'between the hedges'!