Avenir makes it 3 for Mullins & Gigginstown

Avenir D'Une Vie completed a treble on the card for Willie Mullins (earlier won with Felix Yonger and Black Hercules and owners Gigginstown House Stud (earlier won with Whistle Dixie and Nickname Exit , as he came home an easy winner of the bumper, the 2016 Navan Race Membership INH Flat Race.

The French bred son of Lavirco finished a disappointing fourth on his debut when odds-on at Punchestown last month.

That flop didn't put punters off today as he was again well-backed, opening at 7/4 this morning before going from 4/5 to 8/11 on-course.

Settled in mid-division he cruised through to dispute from over two furlongs out, hitting the front with over a furlong to race before going on to score by two and three parts of a length under a motionless Patrick Mullins. Delegate (9/4) made it a one, two for Gigginstown as he finished second under Nina Carberry for Gordon Elliott. Knockraha King (25/1) completed the placings a further eleven lengths back in third under Finian Maguire for his father Adrian.

Willie Mullins said afterwards: "That was good. I was fairly disappointed coming home from Punchestown the last day.

"He got injured last year and I was probably a bit too easy on him. I thought with the ability he had he only needed to be three quarters ready but in that ground they have to be ready.

"He'll stay in bumpers. We'll try and find a winners race and then, if we can, find a third one before he goes novice hurdling next year.

"We thought he was top drawer with what he was doing at home."

Additional reporting by Gary Carson