Big responsibilities

Leopardstown stages the first Irish Derby trial of 2015 Sunday, with the often-informative G3 P W McGrath Memorial Ballysax S. dominated by the presence of the much-vaunted current Epsom ante-post favorite John F Kennedy (Ire)(Galileo {Ire}). Earning ‘TDN Rising Star’ status when opening his account in authoritative fashion over a mile at The Curragh in August, the handsome bay duly followed up in this track’s G3 Juvenile Turf S. on Irish Champions weekend which had played host to Australia (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) 12 months previously. On the face of it, there would be an element of surprise if either Zafilani (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}) or Success Days (Ire) (Jeremy) can upstage the central player, with both needing to find improvement on their third and fifth placings respectively behind Godolphin’s Parish Boy (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) in the nine-furlong listed Leopardstown Eyrefield S. here in October. The latter has the benefit of an outing under his belt this term, having taken a Cork conditions event over an extended mile trip eight days ago.