Tony Carroll's Pour La Victoire may have had to miss the 6.40 after getting upset in the box in transit but his two other runners at Dundalk did the business at combined odds of 20/1. The brace was completed by the Joseph O'Brien ridden Innoko in the first division of the Crowne Plaza Leading Jockey & Trainer Championship Handicap.

Carroll's Serenity Spa got home by a head under Pat Smullen in the 6.10 and it was similarly tight for Innoko.

Both horse and rider were fiercely determined to touch off House Limit Robbie Downey partnered the runner-up and it was his second near miss of the session as he'd also gone under by a head on Wishyouwerehere in the 6.40.

Joseph O'Brien made the point in the aftermath: "When Tony fancies one he's not usually far wrong. After tonight you'd have to say he should target more races here.

"Tony said the key was to get him to relax but he's tough." (GC & EM)