Min impressive in Coral Dublin Chase

Min firmly booked his ticket for the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham next month following a convincing victory in the Coral Dublin Chase at Leopardstown.

The seven-year-old lost out in the stewards’ room to Simply Ned here at Christmas after squeezing up that rival on the run-in but there was plenty of daylight between the pair this time.

The Willie Mullins-trained gelding was strong in the market and went off the 11/8 favourite as stable-companion Yorkhill eased out to 7/4. Special Tiara set a strong pace in this 2m1f test, and had his six rivals well strung out when Yorkhill made a mistake at the fifth.

Min closed the gap considerably on the leader before two out, and David Mullins’ mount struck the front before the final fence.

He galloped on strongly on the run-in to beat Simply Ned by 12 lengths, with Special Tiara finding no extra a neck further back in third. Ordinary World was in the process of running a big race but stumbled badly when close-up at the last and Davy Russell did very well to keep the partnership intact.

However his mount came to a standstill and eventually finished another 18 lengths away in fourth.

Yorkhill proved a bitter disappointment, and was a spent force from a long way out finishing a remote sixth.

No mistake - Min wins the Coral Dublin Chase! @LeopardstownRC #DublinRacingFestival pic.twitter.com/UFC7Hd8SFf

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) February 3, 2018

Mullins said, “They went very fast and David elected to settle him in and it made a huge difference. We changed our tactics a bit and it worked well.

“I’d imagine the Champion Chase is where he will go now, and we don’t have anything else in mind.

“I was very disappointed with Yorkhill and Paul said he was never travelling. It’s completely back to the drawing board with him.

“We’ll see if anything shows up but possibly the fast pace over jumps caused him to lose his jumping method down the back. He wasn’t happy going at pace over fences.”

David Mullins said, "Special Tiara went a right good gallop and it kept the race simple as there were a lot of horses there that could be free but they settled going that gallop.

"He was too free here the last day and didn't quite get home and I had that in the back of my mind today. After I gave him a squeeze after the last he really picked up and I had Ordinary World covered."

Bookmakers cut Min for the Champion Chase with Boylesports going 4/1 (from 5/1), while Betfair and Paddy Power were alot more impressed.

Betfair go 5/2 (from 11/2) while Paddy Power offer just 9/4 (from 5/1).

(TW & AM)