McMeel, representing the DPS stable, saluted in the Essendon Gift's over-45 masters 800-metre handicapped event on Saturday. It was the first Gift meeting for Essendon and the season-opening race for the Victorian Athletic League.

McMeel's daughter Hannah, 13 also claimed a podium finish, running third in the final of the under-14 100 metre gift while son Leo finished fourth in the under-14 mixed 100m final. Paddy Meade also ran well in multiple open men's events.

"I think it was a credit to Rob (Duynhoven) and Wayne (Perry) from DPS for putting a good program together for us to get the best out of ourselves so early in the season," McMeel said. "Watching the kids improve, I enjoy being in the sport and it's an added bonus I can still find a race to compete in in my twilight years."

McMeel's latest win is his third sash in three years following an 18-year drought. He previously won a 1600-metre race at Stawell.

"I've had a bit of a purple patch of late," he said. "Definitely hoping for a good year and hoping the body can hold up for the season."

Next on the calendar is the Warrnambool and Terang gifts, with McMeel expecting strong showings from DPS athletes, particularly its younger crop of runners.

"A lot of the younger athletes for DPS have already been racing in AV races and some of the All-Schools events," he said. "They're pretty well primed to feature pretty prominently at the events they take part in. That will be a good spectacle for locals."

McMeel, who will contest Warrnambool's masters 300-metre event named in honour of his late wife Jayne, said the Warrnambool-Terang double-header gave local athletes the opportunity of competing a higher level without the travel.

"I think from a locals perspective, it's all fairly costly and expensive to travel to Melbourne to compete so when they can come down our way, it's a bit of bonus," he said.

The Warrnambool Gift is held at its new venue Reid Oval on December 3 followed by the Terang Gift on December 4.

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