Min and Walsh overcome tough Love in John Durkan for winning return

Min made another winning seasonal reappearance but not before a barging match with runner-up Shattered Love in the Grade 1 John Durkan Memorial at Punchestown on Sunday.

Ruby Walsh was happy to settle Min behind the Gigginstown pair Balko Des Flos and Shattered Love, but when he tried to make his move going to the second-last Jack Kennedy on Shattered Love was in no mood to move out and let him between the pair.

Walsh, admitting Kennedy was well within his rights, said: "I didn't think he was going that well, but he shut the door on me."

Walsh had to reassess and moved to the inside, sneaking through between Balko Des Flos and the far wing of the fence before powering clear on the run-in to make it four successful seasonal reappearances for Min since joining Willie Mullins.

Min, who held Shattered Love by a length and a half, was making it four wins in the 2m4f Grade 1 chase for Mullins in the last six years after the successes of Arvika Ligeonniere and Djakadam, who won back-to-back runnings in 2015 and 2016.

Despite this convincing triumph, Ireland's champion trainer is thinking of dropping his winner back in trip over Christmas.

Mullins said: "I'm very pleased with that. He was very keen but he jumped brilliantly and that's what impressed me most. He'll have plenty of options now and will have no problem dropping back to two miles one furlong in the Grade 1 at Leopardstown [December 27]. He has plenty of speed for that sort of trip.

"That said, we have other possibles for that race including Un De Sceaux, Footpad and Great Field, whom I'm told is fine after his fall at Cork today, so we'll wait and see."

Mullins added: "I doubt we'll be asking Min to go beyond two and a half miles."

It was a fifth win over fences for the Rich and Susannah Ricci-owned seven-year-old and a second at Grade 1 level.

Min was promoted to general favouritism for the Ryanair Chase ahead of Footpad, with BoyleSports and Betway offering the best price of 7-1 (from 10).

He was also widely cut for the Betway Queen Mother Champion, in which he was runner-up to Altior last season. The race sponsor went 9-1 (from 12), while Coral offered the best odds at 12-1.

Paddy Power made him 2-1 (from 5) for the Grade 1 at Leopardstown over Christmas mentioned by Mullins, the Paddy's Rewards Sugar Daddy Chase, a race in which he was first past the post last season only to be demoted in favour of Simply Ned.

Balko Des Flos, who jumped well in front, was two and a half lengths behind Shattered Love in third, with The Storyteller fourth and Edwulf last of the five runners.

Look back on the best jumps action of the year in the new edition of the Racing Post Annual. Click here to order or call 01933 304858