Michael Dunlop claimed a historic record-equalling 26th TT victory on Saturday afternoon.

The 35 year old won the four-lap Supersport Race One by 8.574 seconds from the Ducati-mounted Davey Todd to move level with his late uncle Joey on 26 wins.

Early leader Dean Harrison rounded out the top three a further 14.187 seconds down on his Honda Racing 600cc.

An emotional Dunlop said after the race: ‘There’s been something lingering over me for a wee while now and that pressure has now been lifted.

‘Joey was something special, but to do it on my own bike is very special. I’ll be putting it in the living room now!’

Dunlop made the decision to switch from a Triumph to his own Yamaha R6 during qualifying week and said the late switch contributed to his slow start to the race: ‘We found an issue during the week after changing the bike.

‘The boys worked hard last night to get the bike ready and it took me a minute or two to get going.’

Todd was delighted with this second-place finish saying and was glowing in his praise of the Ducati V2 adding it was getting better with every session in its maiden year at the TT.

Harrison was also happy with third adding: ‘The 600 never missed a beat and I think there’s more to come from it later in the week.’

Outside the top three, James Hillier marked his return to Bournemouth Kawasaki with fourth place 27.190 seconds down on the podium places.

James Hind recorded his best TT finish in fifth on the North Lincs Components Suzuki, going one better than the sixth place he finished in the second Supersport race last year.

Sixth was Josh Brookes, Paul Jordan seventh, Mike Browne eighth and Peter Hickman ninth.

The latter said a recent firmware update on his PHR Performance Triumph has limited his top-end speed and prevented him for challenging at the top end of the leaderboard.

Manxman Mikey Evans rounded out the top 10 on the Smith Racing Triumph.

Port Erin’s Joe Yeardsley marked his graduation from the Manx Grand Prix with an impressive 16th place finish, just ahead of fellow Manxie Ryan Cringle in 17th.

Ryan’s brother Jamie was 29th, Marcus Simpson 33rd, Dave Rigby 35th, Gareth Arnold 36th, Paul Cassidy 40th and Anthony Redmond 41st.

The Ramsey Rocket, Conor Cummins, was forced to retire his Padgett’s Honda at the end of the opening lap after being forced to make adjustments halfway round.

Jamie Coward was also forced to retire when fourth after the KTS Racing Triumph cut out at the end of the second lap.