O'Brien and Moore start Irish Derby weekend with a winner

Mountain Bear (4/1) showed improvement on second start to get off the mark in the six furlong juvenile maiden at the Curragh.

The No Nay Never colt broke well for Ryan Moore and soon led before taking a lead off Chandigah at the half-way stage.

Moore asked him for more in the final quarter of a mile, but 66/1 outsider Chandigah was still boxing on at the head of affairs approaching the final furlong.

Mountain Bear grabbed him inside the furlong pole, though, and kept on best to see him off by a length at the finish. My Mate Alfie the 5/2 favourite, was three-parts of a length back in third.

Aidan O'Brien said: “You'd be delighted with him. He was green first time and he was still a bit green today.

“Wayne (Lordan) rode him the first day and he liked him. He finished sixth in a good maiden (at this track).

“He was more professional today, but Ryan said when he got there he was still very green. He's a good cruiser and he shows plenty of class through a race.

“He's a big, powerful horse, he's a big No Nay Never and they are big strong horses with loads of natural speed.”

When asked if the Phoenix Stakes could be a target he added:-“I'd say something like that and you'd like to get a another run before that.

“He's a horse that will probably come forward plenty, but he's not short of pace, I'd say.

“The other horse (fifth-placed House Of Aviz won't mind going up in trip next time. He'd be very comfortable going up to seven, but he still ran a nice race.”

Additional reporting by Gary Carson