Review navan 15th Dec

Willie Mullins' rising star Briar Hill kept his unbeaten record under Rules by disposing of sole rival Azorian in a match for the Navan Novice Hurdle.

The absence of the Noel Meade-trained pair Apache Stronghold and Very Wood meant only two went to post for the Grade One contest, and Ruby Walsh set out to make all on Briar Hill.

The Cheltenham Champion Bumper hero looked to have something on his plate when Azorian travelled sweetly up to him going to the second-last, but the 1-4 favourite found plenty and went away to win by four and three-quarter lengths after a flying leap at the final flight.

Mullins gave dual bumper winner Sizing Tennessee his jumps bow in the Irish Stallion Owners EBF Maiden Hurdle and the 9-4 favourite put in a thoroughly likeable show, leading going to the last to win by three and three-quarter lengths under Andrew Lynch.

The champion trainer went on to another treble when the highly regarded Royal Caviar (1-4 favourite) made heavy weather of beating Fine Rightly in the 'Future Champions' INH Flat Race, winning by two and a quarter lengths under Patrick Mullins after a bumping match in the final furlong which resulted in the rider picking up a five-day ban.

Sizing Tennessee's owners Alan and Ann Potts completed a double, as did Lynch, when Henry De Bromhead's 9-10 favourite Sizing Gold took the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Beginners Chase, getting his rivals on the stretch from some way out and beating Mullaghanoe River by four lengths.

There was a big prize for the Tara Handicap Hurdle and it went to Jarlath Fahey's consistent Jennies Jewel (10-1), who was never far off the leaders under Ian McCarthy and had enough in the tank to hold off He'llberemembered by half a length.

Arthur Moore's 7-2 favourite Hop In ended a sequence of four seconds with a gutsy victory in the Beauparc Handicap Hurdle, rallying to collar Blacklough and win by three-quarters of a length under David Casey.