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.