'Dynamite' Min gives Mullins/Townend treble

Min enjoyed a stroll around Gowran Park in justifying 1/9 favouritism in the two and a half mile chase.

He returned from an injury-enforced layoff of 334 days with a terrific display of jumping, aside from a lack of concentration at the first fence.

This was his first crack at two and a half miles and he popped away from each of the 14 fences for Paul Townend.

The six-year-old gelding took a few lengths out of his two rivals - Flaxen Flare and Uncle Danny - after the sixth fence.

He moved clear by the fifth last where Flaxen Flare made a mistake. From there he strode away to win by 36 lengths from Flaxen Flare.

Paul Townend said: "He was very good - just wasn't concentrating at the first and he put in a big leap. He just wasn't looking at the first, whatever caught his eye he just wasn't concentrating on the fence.

"After that he was dynamite everywhere - long and short whatever he wanted to do. He eyes them up himself. It was a good performance.

"He's off the track a long time and probably on that ground I was trying to go a stride slower than he wanted to go.

"He was very good and galloped right through to the line. It was as good as we hoped.

"He was impressive. We hoped he would do something like that and he did and it is on to the next day now."

Willie Mullins said: "That was a tremendous return for Min and I thought his jumping was good and he was fresh and well.

"I loved the way he jumped and put himself right and while he didn't have much opposition and had a lot of things his own way, he was still very good.

"We now know he goes two and a half miles and he wasn't stopping either so it opens up a few more options.

"The John Durkan is too soon and I'll be looking at Christmas unless there's a juicy one before that. Hopefully I'll have a few more for the Dial-A-Bet Chase at Leopardstown."

Min brought up a Gowran Park treble for Mullins and Townend who also scored with Carter Mckay and Sharjah

Min's only defeat in Ireland came in last year's Grade One Supreme Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival when he was runner-up to Altior.

He was last seen hacking up by nine lengths in the Grade One novice chase at Leopardstown on St Stephen's Day.

Paddy Power left Min unchanged at 13/2 for the Queen Mother Champion Chase.

Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes