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Speed-images · Joined: 09 Aug 2007 Posts: 81 Location: Cheshire

Steve Plater claimed his second Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix victory in succession in the 41st running of the Far East classic today today.

But the 34-year-old British racer had a massive stroke of luck on the 15th and final lap of the event when he and rival John McGuinness, on the Stobart Vent Axia Honda, encountered two lapped riders at the Melco Hairpin.

McGuinness, winner of the race in 2001, had the consolation of setting a new lap record for the event at 2min 26.096secs (150.80kph).
Plater was able to pass them and pull away to win by over four seconds on the AIM Racing Yamaha 1000, while McGuinness who was baulked by the two riders having their own private battle could only watch as Plater pulled away.

There was even greater disappointment for Michael Rutter, looking for a record-breaking seventh win in the race, who did not even have the consolation of a podium finish.
The Kawasaki star was forced to take to the slip road at the 90 degree Lisboa corner three laps from the end when Austrian rival Thomas Hinterreiter (Austria Racing Team Yamaha 1000) rode side-by-side with him towards the turn.

American Jeremy Toye (Lee's Cycles Racing Suzuki 1000) had his best ever finish in Macau by taking fourth place but well over 30 seconds behind the top three.

Manxman Conor Cummins, the youngest rider in the race at 21 years-of-age, was fifth home.

Steve Allan, the 33-year-old from Perth, Scotland, was winner of the 600 Class for the third year in a row, on the AIM Racing Yamaha 600.
He beat German Rico Penzkofer (Austria Racing Team Yamaha 600) by over 12 seconds.

Another Scottish racer Callum Ramsay (Solent Scientific Honda600) was third.

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