Sean Neary and Rob Guiver split Ducati Performance TriOptions Cup wins this weekend as the latter reeled in the championship lead.

And while series front-runner Josh Day was on the podium in both races, his advantage fell to just 30 points with three rounds remaining.

After a strong start from third on the grid in race one, Day grabbed the early lead as Guiver, Neary and Phil Atkinson tucked in behind.

The four remained stuck together but on lap four, Hyside Motorcycles’ Guiver looked to have a problem and Neary slipped by while the defending champ dropped into the clutches of Atkinson in fourth.

But Guiver collected himself and the front three soon stretched a gap over Atkinson before the South African overshot at Brundle and hit the grass, rejoining but losing even more time.

SMC Racing man Neary found a way through on HOST-IT.co.uk rider Day with just four laps to go as the series leader dropped into Guiver’s clutches, falling to third before squeezing Guiver back behind him as backmarker traffic began to come into play.

Guiver powered back ahead at the start of lap eight, but an engine blow-up on Sam Middlemas’ machine signalled the end of the race as chiefs threw red flags with oil down on the track, with Neary declared the winner ahead of Guiver and Day.

In race two, the battle for the lead quickly became another repeat three-way scrap with Guiver leading Neary and Day and after a strong start from the trio, they had a 1.5s lead over fourth with just two laps in the bag.

While Neary grabbed the lead on lap three, Guiver stuffed him up the inside at Wilson as Day slotted through into second before slipstreaming ahead of the defending champ into Brundle.

Guiver slipped up the inside of Day at the end of the Bentley Straight with just over three laps to go, but the points leader was soon back ahead as Neary continued to reel the duo back in.

Yesterday’s race winner levered Day aside before going after Guiver on the penultimate lap, but a mistake at Riches let Guiver escape and he crossed the line with 0.849s to spare as Day settled for third.

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