“I made a funny noise on her and it worked” revealed Seamie Heffernan at the Curragh today, having steered blue-blooded Champagne (7/2) to a first success in the Curragh's Big Picture Communications Maiden.

A sister to Prix de l'Arc and Breeders Cup winner Found, Champagne today made the belated breakthrough at the sixth attempt when battling well to beat River Rain

Heffernan reported “she is very well bred and had a very good run on soft ground in Galway but then went a bit weak. It probably wasn't a great maiden but she hit the line well."

Without giving away too much, the Derby winner added "it doesn't work for all of them, but I made a funny noise on her and it worked!"

Trainer Aidan O'Brien's representative Chris Armstrong added “we thought she’d break her maiden a bit before now but it’s great to get that bracket for her. Obviously she is a filly with an unbelievable pedigree and she toughed it out in the end.

“We’ll see how she comes out of this and whether they want to give her a crack in the Finale Stakes in the hope of getting some black type for her.”

Quotes from Alan Magee