< Min s comeback victory in the Ladbrokes Bet 10 & Get 40 On The Grid Chase was the highlight of a treble for Willie Mullins and Paul Townend at Gowran Park.
Off since landing a Grade One at Leopardstown's Christmas meeting, the classy six-year-old was sent off the 1-9 favourite to account for his two rivals.
Aside from jumping the first a bit big, Min was efficient over his fences and was allowed his own way up front before sauntering to a 36-length defeat of Flaxen Flare < Sharjah supplemented his course victory on his timber debut with a determined triumph in the Join Gowran Park Racing Club Novice Hurdle.
The Mullins-trained 13-8 favourite was brought with his challenge approaching the final obstacle and he jumped it alongside Shady Operator and Roaring Bull before pulling four lengths clear of the former.
His stable companion Carter Mckay justified 10-11 favouritism on his jumping bow in the I.N.H. Stallion Owners EBF Maiden Hurdle, but his task was made easier by the final-flight fall of Mortal
The pair were locked together from the second-last, with Mortal's departure paving the way for Carter Mckay to score by 15 lengths from Wings Of Arion.
Any chance of a four-timer for Mullins and Townend came to an end when Tin Soldier fell two out in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Beginners Chase.
That left the Gordon Elliott pair of Dounikos (28-1) and Monbeg Notorious to fight it out and the former found that little bit extra to prevail by three and a quarter lengths.< Mastermind (20-1) hardly set the world alight on his NH debut a few weeks ago but he left that a long away behind by beating Randalls Ur Poet by five lengths in the Thanks To All Our Customers 3-Y-O Maiden Hurdle.< Roja Dove (9-4 favourite) made it two wins from as many starts since joining Peter Fahey in the Cathy O'Farrell AIRO Winner 2017 Mares Handicap Hurdle, while Persian Wind took the Irish Racing Yearbook Handicap Chase.
