Maddox another for McAteer & Marnane By far the oldest runner in the line-up, nine-year-old Jered Maddox claimed the opening Dundalk Winter Series Leading Trainer & Jockey Championship Handicap. Beaten by just a nose and a head when last seen over six furlongs in December, the Lawman bay, who carries the colours of the City Equine II Syndicate, dropped back to the minimum trip this evening. Sent off at 6/1, the admirable David Marnane-trained victor raced in rear early on under Luke McAteer, making progress on the nearside with over a furlong to go. Ridden inside the final 200 yards, he soon swept by his rivals and had half a length to spare at the line, with 5/4 favourite Never Shout Never filling the runner-up spot. "He's deadly!" McAteer enthused. "In fairness to him, when you know he is right he will put it in and I actually should have won on him the last day here - I just got there a bit soon. "He's funny, his first win over five (furlongs) came last April. I'd say watching him you'd think he is not going to get there, but he feels like he is always going to get there. "I actually thought I won cosy enough on the line, so it is great." On stable form (three winners from the last three runners) he added: "I've ridden 10 winners up here for the winter and I have ridden nine of them for David. "I've a lot to be grateful for and we have got a big team of horses for the year, so hopefully it can keep rolling." Additional reporting by Michael Graham
