Review navan 12th Jan

Willie Mullins' exciting six-year-old Un De Sceaux took a step closer to the Champion Hurdle as he recorded a bloodless victory against two opponents at Navan.

Now unbeaten in six starts, the ex-French gelding was sent off the 1-12 favourite for the Follow Navan On Facebook Hurdle with Flaxen Flare a late absentee, and he set off in front in the hands of Ruby Walsh.

Foildubh attempted to stay with him but was a beaten horse a long way from home and eventually lost second place to Akatara as Un De Sceaux sailed home in splendid isolation, winning by 53 lengths.

Aklan was a classy stayer on the Flat when with John Oxx and made a successful start to his new career when returning from a 505-day lay-off to take the 2014 Navan Membership Maiden Hurdle.

The grey (9-10 favourite) wasn't always foot-perfect, but he cruised up to take the lead jumping the second-last and wasn't extended in scoring by nine lengths as both Mullins and Walsh initiated a treble.

The jockey's third victory came on Tony Martin's heavily backed 7-4 favourite Gallant Oscar , who cruised up to the lead at the last in the Meath Handicap Hurdle but had to dig deep to resist the determined challenge of Drive On Locky by a head.

Mullins completed his own treble when point-to-point scorer Milsean (4-5 favourite) romped away with the Trim (Pro/Am) INH Flat Race by eight lengths in the hands of the trainer's son Patrick.

Noel Meade's course bumper winner Wounded Warrior (1-2 favourite) made a highly satisfactory jumps debut when he eased up to join issue at the last flight in the www.navanracecourse.ie Maiden Hurdle and forged two and three-quarter lengths clear under Bryan Cooper.

Terence O'Brien's She's Got Grit (11-4 favourite) picked up a nice pot in the Foxrock Handicap Chase, responding to Adrian Heskin's every call to get the better of Orpheus Valley by half a length, while Harry Rogers' Irish Thistle (Davy Russell, 2-1) was handed the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Novice Chase after Mad Brian unseated at the last.