O'Brien charts treble through Merchant Navy

Crack Australian sprinter Merchant Navy thundered home on his Irish debut in the Grade Two Greenlands Stakes to give Aidan O'Brien a treble at the Curragh.

All roads lead to Royal Ascot for the three-year-old colt now before he returns to Australia to fulfil stallion obligations.

The son of Fastnet Rock picked up really well in the final furlong to tackle Spirit Of Valor and win by a length at an easy-to-back 9/2.

Runner-up Spirit Of Valor was 7/1 with Tasleet the 2/1 joint favourite, in third.

Aidan O'Brien said: "You'd be delighted with him obviously. We felt he was just ready to come and the whole reason for running him was to see before we went to Ascot.

“We felt that he was at a racecourse gallop stage. The lads in Australia said he was a very good horse so we just took it totally on trust. He did five little canters, that's all he did.

“Ryan was very happy with him. The plan is to go to Ascot for the six furlong race and I think he has to go after that.

“I think he's only here for Ascot and then gone after that, whatever commitments he has.

“I thought there would be a lot of improvement in him. I was just hoping for a nice run today, that's all, so it's all a plus.

“He wasn't stopping today but he's obviously not short of speed either. He made a good bit of ground up from halfway and Ryan was riding him that way because we were afraid he would get tired.”

Ryan Moore added: "He's a very good horse to carry a penalty and to get off a plane and come from the other side of the world.

"He gave me a real good feel and travelled very comfortably. It was a bit of a messy race, we were split all over the place and wanted to take my time a little bit but it was hard to.

"He did it very well because he travelled and cruised and quickened. Great attitude."

O'Brien also scored on this card with Just Wonderful (9/2) and Fairyland (4/1).

Merchant Navy was Moore's second winner today having been on board Just Wonderful.

Additional reporting by Gary Carson