Jessica Harrington introduced a nice two-year-old when Brother Bear proved up to winning the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden (Plus 10 Race) at Leopardstown despite market weakness.

Colm O'Donoghue in the Mill House LLC silks was soon tracking the leaders on the Kodiac colt and he was noted still travelling smoothly in the straight.

The 9/1 chance got the better of odds on favourite Sioux Nation for a two length win.

Mrs Harrington said afterwards: "He's been smart in all his homework. Colm said he was a bit green jumping out but he got up to them easy and took a couple of blows and he was very happy with him.

"He loved the ground. He really floated on it and he (Colm) said it's proper quick ground.

"Royal Ascot definitely beckons. What we go for I'm not sure yet but we'll see. He's up there with the best of my two-year-olds. He did a bit of growing about four weeks ago and we backed off him before winding him up again.

"I suppose he'll end up getting seven (furlongs). He's very relaxed and is a straight forward colt."

For his part O'Donoghue commented: "He was slightly green as we left the stalls but he was entitled to be obviously first day at school.

"He loved the ground — it's quick — but he acted on it well.

"I was in there (behind horses) but I was accepting the fact that I needed to teach him something and I didn't want to go roughing him about.

"Obviously I was following the favourite and I was hoping that he'd bring me as far as he could.

"When an opening came then he finished it off well.

"He's got the pedigree, out of a very fast family — we'll keep dreaming."

(AM & EM)