As far as the betting was concerned the Fundraising Made Easy At Dundalk Maiden was an open and shut case as Roman General went off at odds of 8/13 (from 11/8 this morning). However Honourable Emperor wasn't entirely unfancied either finding a starting price of 7/1 from double that and more earlier in the day. Both by Holy Roman Emperor, it was the latter that got the job done under Joseph O'Brien for Noel Meade.

O'Brien sported the familiar silks of Mrs Phonsie O'Brien on the once previously tried three-year-old and he nailed Atticus Finch (Roman General's Eddie Lynam-trained stablemate) on the line to prevail by a short head. The favourite finished two and a quarter lengths back in third.

Noel Meade trains Honourable Emperor and he said: "An inch is as good as a mile. I like that horse and he's a bit green still.

"He was very green the first day and did everything wrong. I'd say a mile will suit him even better.

"He's built like a little tank and hopefully he'll improve a bit."

Of course Mrs O'Brien and Meade combined successfully on the polytrack here last month with Fountain Of Honour (Honourable Emperor's Sadler's Wells half-sister). (AM & EM)