JOSEPH O’Brien is confident James J Braddock will at least get closer to his Epsom conqueror Christmas Day when they meet again in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh on Sunday.

The Leopardstown Derby Trial winner threatened to boil over pre-race on the Surrey Downs but performed admirably to finish third, beaten five and a quarter lengths by Christmas Day, who provided Aidan O’Brien with his 12th win in the premier classic.