Michael Dunlop commenced his bid for a record-equalling five wins aꦦt the Uꦬlster Grand Prix with a brilliant victory in a gripping Superstock race.

It was Dunlop's second consecutive success in the class afte𒊎r he took the honours at Dundrod in 2011.

A dramatic four-way battle developed in the six-lap race, the first event on the programme at the 90th anniversary meeting of the le💯gendary international road race, involving Dunlop, Welsh veteran Ian Lougher, Tyco Suzuki's Guy Martin and Bruce Anstey from New Zealand.

Lougher, who started from the second row of the g🔯rid, hit the front on lap one from Anstey and Martin, with newcomer Lee Johnston - a double winner a💃t the Dundrod 150 meeting on Thursday - in a superb fourth place ahead of Dunlop.

Lougher continued to lead unti🔥l he was overhauled by Martin on the second lap as Dunlop began to make headway, slottin🍌g into third place on his McAdoo Kawasaki.

Martin remained in front at the end of lap three, but Dunlop - who started from pole position aওfter lapping at 132mph in qualifying - was now right on his tail clos♐ely followed by Lougher and Anstey.

The leܫading quartet had now broken away from the chasing pack, with Manx rider Conor Cu꧑mmins on the second Tyco Suzuki locked in a personal battle with Johnston as they disputed fifth and sixth positions.

Ulsterman Dunlop, who finished as the runne🍎r-up to John McGuinness in the Superstock race at the Isle of Man TT, put a move on Martin at the beginning of lap four as 49-year-o🐼ld Lougher surged back into second place.

With a🌞 clear road ahead of him, Dunlop began to work hard and for the first time in the race opened a slight advantage of 0.5 seconds over Lougher, who had Martin and Anstey in close contention.

Dunlop slowly began to edge away at the head of the field and enjoyed a lead ꦏof two seconds at the Deer's Leap section of the 7.4-mile Dundrod circuit on the sixth and 🔜final lap.

Lougher 🅷no🅠w looked comfortable in second place as he had a one-second cushion over Martin, who was digging deep to secure the final podium spot with Anstey breathing down his neck.

Dunlop powered over the line to begin his bid♔ to equal Phillip McCallen's 1996 record of five wins in a day in convincing style, with effervescent Lougher - 17 times a winner at the Ulster GP - securing a tremendous runner-up finish.

Martin held off Anstey to ensure he finished on the podium for Northern Ireland team Tyco S🥀uzuki, with Cummins taking fifth.

Dunlop was in ꧂agony after the race 🌞as he contends with two slipped discs in his back.

He suffered the injury while workin🀅g on his machines prior to the Armoy road races l🍎ast month.