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So folks, we've had our first night's practice sessions, which were run in slightly windy conditions but under beautiful sunshine.

All the top runners seemed to have a good run with the men taking the top three spots in the 1000cc superstock class, Alastair (the wizard) Seeley just elbowing out Cameron Donald and Bruce Anstey.

In the supersport, Michael Dunlop topped the sheets from Stevie Plater and Scotland's Keith Amor. Davy Lemon headed the 125cc class and Englishman (but Broughshane resident) Christian Elkin was fastest in the 250cc. Again, TAS boy Bruce Anstey leads the superbike qualifying in a class in which pretty much everyone took a turn at the front.

Apart, that is, from Michael Rutter, who was as far down as 17th at one point on his new NW200 R1 Yamaha, with which he still seems to be struggling. I've watched him at Brands and Oulton, and he just doesn't look at home at all on the all new cross plane cranked Yam, but talking to himÌýon the grid before setting off, he said that they had completely altered the bike after the Oulton race, but unfortunately they haven't quite found that sweet spot just yet.