Going back to my original question , I was under the impression that in1993 if you were over 40 and you had already competed in the Manx or the TT you could still ride,  the 40 year old age limit was aimed at newcomers to the Island mountain course , is that a correct understanding of the rules from that era ?

Seems daft to me when I first asked I believe I was a better faster safer rider than I ever was when I was under 40 ! But the preperation for my ride this year is so much better than in would have been then , so in a way the age rule might have done me a favour.

The ruling that is now in place for the mountain course licence which includes the 6 races over the previous year . Has this influenced the entry by some of the older riders in the Manx and have some riders not returned because of this requirement ? Getting these 6 races under your belt adds a sizeable chunk to the racing bill for anybody .