Sparkling performance by Broad's mare Navan's two-and-a-half mile maiden hurdle, confined to horses rated no higher than 110, was won in comfortable fashion by Champagne Venture (7/2) who was sporting cheekpieces for the first time.  The daughter of Champs Elysees, placed twice in bumpers and on her previous two starts over flights, was last off the bridle under Danny Gilligan and improved to lead between the final two flights before going away to post a five-length success over Fly Away Home. Winning trainer David Broad said of his father Albert's seven-year-old "Great performance. She just wasn't 100 per cent after the last day and we freshened her up. She had been working and schooling well, so this race just seemed to fit.  "She's not winning out of turn. We think a good bit of her and we will probably tip away with her for another bit now and, if the ground dries up too much, we'll probably travel her and go to somewhere like Perth.  "There's a possibility she could step up for the novice handicap final at Fairyhouse, we'll see. We will enjoy today.  "She had her problems earlier on for training, but we've had a good run with her. She's a decent mare and we think a good bit of her.  "You won't get better than Danny (Gilligan)- he rode a winner for me when he was claiming 7lb on Turf Range in Dundalk when he was an apprentice (March, 2023). I'm good friends with his dad. You just leave it to him and that's it." Additional reporting by Michael Graham
