Kyle White: Alastair Seeley's low-key preparations could be a NW200 blessing in disguise

The 24-time winner has been going about his business in the Ulster Superbike Championship away from the British Superbike limelight after failing to land a suitable ride over the past two seasons to compete in England.

Teams are now prioritising riders who can bring some financial muscle with them, and Seeley freely admits that he hasn’t been in a position to effectively ‘buy’ a British championship seat.

The 42-year-old has therefore turned his attention to the domestic scene and, as it was reasonable to expect of a rider of his short circuit pedigree, has dominated the Superbike and Supersport classes on the IFS Yamaha machines, winning both championships in 2021.

He has also made an unbeaten start to the new season at Bishopscourt and Kirkistown, where Seeley concentrated on setting up his Yamaha R1 Superstock and Supersport machines at the Ulster Superbike rounds in April.

His preparation has not been carried out against the level of opposition faced by several of his key rivals this week, with the likes of fellow Northern Ireland man Lee Johnston, Peter Hickman and Dean Harrison among those riders racing at the sharp end in the British championship.

Nonetheless, Seeley has impressed in everything he has done in the Ulster Superbike Championship, winning all 12 Superbike races on the YZF-R1 last year and only failing to win one of the nine Supersport races he started, with Cookstown’s Gary McCoy edging him out in the wet at Bishopscourt.

He has a close-knit team around him and is well accustomed to the Yamaha machines he will ride at the North West, where Seeley’s record of securing at least one victory every year since his maiden success in 2008 ended in 2019.

Yet, he was still right in the hunt for more silverware,