Michael Dunlop’s recent dominance of the Supertwin class continued as he racked up his 31st TT win on Tuesday evening.

It was Dunlop’s third successive victory on the MD Racing Paton, the event’s most successful rider narrowly missing out on breaking his own lap record on his way to a comfortable 22.673-second victory.

Behind him, Manxman Mikey Evans and Rob Hodson claimed their first ever TT podiums in the delayed race that was shortened to two laps to get it in before darkness fell.

After claiming his second win of the week, Dunlop said: ‘That felt good - it’s always a bit of a nursing match with those machines.

‘The bike was good, if lacking a bit. We’ll try and improve it and keep pushing.’

Starting a place above him on the road, Kawasaki-mounted Evans, who was celebrating his 32nd birthday, admitted he’s tucked in behind Dunlop so that he could be ‘dragged to second place’.

Hodson, riding the SMT Racing Paton, revealed he’d been struggling with a cold and that it was a special feeling to get into the winner’s enclosure for the first time at the TT.

Behind the top three, Paul Jordan finished only 1.757s behind Hodson in fourth.

Superbike TT winner Davey Todd had initially been in podium contention on the Padgett’s Paton, but had to settle for fifth after losing his early pace.

Dominic Herbertson, Adam McLean and Stefano Bonetti completed the top eight, with Baz Furber ninth and veteran Michael Rutter 10th.

Manxman Marcus Simpson came home 15th, but compatriot Joe Yeardsley was an early retirement.

Castletown’s Paul Cassidy was 26th of the 34 finishers.