Ronan Whelan moved 12 winners clear in the race for the apprentice jockeys’ title with a comfortable two and a half length success on Paene Magnus in the opener at Dundalk.

The champion-elect made all on the Jim Bolger-trained colt and was always fending off the staying on Jeangeorges (11/2) in the final furlong. Paene Magnus was sent off 4/1 joint favourite for this apprentice handicap over a mile.

A delighted Ronan Whelan said: “He’s a lazy type and we always work him from the front in his work at home. That’s the way to ride him.

“There was a bit more in the tank and he won cosily. He’d get a bit further and he handled the surface well.” Foot Soldier was half a length further back in third under Joe Doyle at 12/1. Creek Falcon went off the other 4/1 joint favourite (from 7s in the morning), but Paul Deegan’s charge came home ninth.

Whelan is now on 28 winners for the season. His nearest rival is Emmet McNamara on 16 victories.

The winner paid just over 6/1 on the Tote. This was his first visit to Dundalk’s polytrack course after three efforts in maidens at Limerick, Curragh and Cork where he had been placed in all three.