Min bids to step out of Douvan's shadow Min bids to fill the huge void left by Douvan in the Paddy's Reward Club Chase at Leopardstown on Wednesday. Both horses are trained by Willie Mullins and owned by Rich Ricci, but crack two-miler Douvan being out for the season opens up a door for Min, who may have been campaigned over further had his stablemate been around. In most other yards, Min would be a stable star, given his sole defeat for Mullins came behind Altior in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle of 2016, when he finished in front of reigning Champion Hurdle hero Buveur D'Air. "We were delighted with his comeback. Dick Dowling, our head man, rides him every day and he's very happy with how he is," said assistant trainer Patrick Mullins. "Obviously with Douvan being out we are now hoping that Min can step up and take his place. "He looked very good this time last year winning a Grade One and he's only been beaten once for us and that was when he was behind Altor and ahead of Buveur D'Air, so that is serious form." Taking on Min are Ball D'Arc and Ordinary World, first and second from a Grade Three at Naas, Nicky Richards' Simply Ned, who has been placed in the race for the last three years, Tell Us More and Woodland Opera.
