It was an all-Honda sweep of the podium at the first round of the Plews Tyres Masters Motocross championship at chilly Fatcat Motopark on Sunday with Crendon Tru7 Honda’s Conrad Mewse dominating on his Honda CRF450R and his MX1 team-mate Jamie Carpenter taking third overall in only his second race after nine months off due to injury. And the team’s 27-year-old new MX2 rookie ended up a solid ninth overall despite racing a CRF250R in the race that sees MX1 and MX2 bikes race together.

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Conrad Mewse: “It's been a good day for the team. Like I said at the beginning of the year, I want and need to get as many races in as I can this year. I am a bit rusty due to my late start to the racing season because of surgery. The more races I get in, the better I feel each time. The team has already done a lot of work this year, and it’s feeling really positive. I am looking forward to the upcoming races and how we can continue to move forward. I don’t know how it happened (His crash in the second moto), to be honest. The front wheel caught the edge of a rut, and down I went. These things happen when you don’t get a sighting lap, and with all the other races going on.”

The day belonged to British champion Mewse, now back in stunning form and determined to add the Masters title to his championship tally this season. He set the fastest qualifying time and won both races easily, despite crashing in race two. Carpenter, still working hard to regain full race fitness, notched up a fifth and a third place for third overall. With Josh Gilbert finishing second overall, it was an all-Honda podium for CRF450F riders.

Mewse led the first race from the end of the opening lap to the chequered flag, crossing the line over a minute ahead of Gilbert. While Mewse was pulling away at the front, Carpenter, after gating fourth, slipped off and went back to sixth place. He recovered to finish fifth.

Richmond was always going to struggle against the MX1 machines on his MX2 bike in the deep Yorkshire sand, but that didn’t stop him trying. He didn’t get the best of starts, down in 16th place, but worked his way up to tenth by the halfway point. He then crashed back to 13th place to fight his way back to tenth again.

In race two, Mewse didn’t get the start he wanted and rounded turn one in fourth place, then later in the race he slipped off his machine and dropped back to twelfth place. But it only took three laps for Mewse to take the lead from Gilbert, and he powered his way to his second win of the day.

Carpenter had gated seventh but in my two laps, he was in second and ready to snatch the lead from Josh Vail. But a lap later, Gilbert and Mewse flew past the pair of them on their way to second and a race win.

Richmond experienced a race with its ups and downs. He started well in sixth place but dropped to 12th on lap three. He worked hard to get back to sixth, only to be pushed down to eighth in the final two laps in what is only his second professional adult race event and his first season on a four-stroke.

Carpenter was very happy about the day and said: “The day has been quite good, really, as I was showing some good speed. I had a good start in the first race, but drifted a bit wide in the first turn, coming out in about sixth. I got back up to third by the end of the opening lap but fell on the very next lap, dropping down to sixth again. I got back to fourth but lost a place on the very last lap as the dreaded arm pump got me.

“In race two, I got another great start but tangled bars with another rider halfway down the start straight. I got back to third place for third overall. I am very happy considering it’s my second race back after being out injured for nine months. Each race, I am getting a bit better and better. I still have a way to go to get back to full fitness, but I am getting there.”

Richmond said, “The day has been really good. I started the first race feeling a little off and had a small crash, but managed to work my way back to tenth place among all the MX1 bikes. We made some setup adjustments between races, and the bike felt a lot better. I started at the front and had a great battle with Jamie (Keith) and Tyla (Hooley). We were swapping places, having a fantastic race and a lot of fun.”

Team manager Ryan Thorpe: “It was a constructive day for the team, and for Honda with all CRF450Rs on the podium. The team all performed really well. Conrad looked like he’s back to riding like his usual self and Jamie rode really well too, especially coming back from the little slip-off top finish on the podium.

“And Charlie once again did very well and is building up his confidence in every ride. It was great to see him battle back hard after a crash.”