James J Braddock got up late to collar Pierre Bonnard on the line in the Cashel Palace Hotel Derby Trial Stakes at Leopardstown.
Stablemate Endorsement led the Aidan O’Brien-trained Pierre Bonnard along at head of the field before Wayne Lordan asked the Camelot colt and Derby hopeful Pierre Bonnard – the 5-6 favourite despite his eclipse in the Ballysax Stakes on his reappearance – to take it up with a furlong to go.
Endorsement was not giving up without a fight, but it was Dylan Brown McMonagale and James J Braddock on the outside that proved to be the danger and the Joseph O’Brien-trained 9-1 shot timed his run perfectly to get up on the line and win by a short head.
Paddy Power slashed James J Braddock to 25-1 from 100-1 for the Betfred Derby on June 6.