Noel Meade captured the training honours yesterday courtesy of a 9 to 1 double with Boley Lad and Roses Of Picardy.

"He's a nice horse whose future is over fences," said the Navan trainer after Boley Lad shrugged off his market rival Kirmar under a confident ride from stablejockey Paul Carberry in the Holycross Hurdle.

Half-an-hour later the Meade/Carberry alliance struck again with the mare Roses Of Picardy in the Loughmore EBF Beginners Chase.

Making her debut over the larger obstacles, the six-year-old, a winner of two contests over hurdles last season - including a course success over two miles and six furlongs from the promising Saxophone in February - jumped well for the in-form Meath rider before comfortably holding Storm Ten and Barry Geraghty by a snug two lengths. "She has done well since last year and has improved physically and Paul was pleased with her," said Meade, who later saddled the very easy-to-back Advocat to finish well down the field in the Seskin Beginners Chase.

Victory here went to the Willie Mullins-trained River Cora, which kept on well from the last under Barry Geraghty to hold off Sawa-Id and Pat Malone by a length. Pat Verling has tasted success several times over the last few weeks and he oozed confidence aboard light-weight West Trix to record a bold, pillar-to-post success for Gerry Cully in the Thurles Handicap Chase.