Dallas Star could be back in the ascendancy on Sunday

Dallas Star has been backed to continue his resurgence when returning to turf in the TOTE Irish EBF Devoy Stakes at Naas on Sunday.

A useful youngster when trained by Dominic Ffrench Davis at two, he put himself in Classic contention when causing a shock in the Ballysax Stakes on his first start for Adrian Murray.

That impressive Leopardstown display earned him a ticket to Epsom and a shot at the Derby, but after being sent off at 33-1, he finished well held and was subsequently found to have suffered an injury which curtailed his three-year-old campaign.

Reappearing over a mile and a quarter at Dundalk last month, Dallas Star showed his engine firmly remained intact when making all, and his team are now keen to see how much more is lurking under the bonnet at the beginning of what could be an exciting turf season.

“He did a nice piece of work on the grass earlier this week and he’s all set to run,” said Murray.

“He had a nice blow out at Dundalk in his comeback run, it’s over a mile and two on Sunday, but I think he will be a stamina horse down the line. I think he could end up running over a mile and a half and one-mile-six later in the season.

“He picked up an injury and a stress fracture in the Derby and that’s why he wasn’t seen until winning at Dundalk the other week, but he’s in great order now and we’ve been very happy with him.”

Stablemate Persian Bliss and Joseph O’Brien’s San Andreas dead-heated for second behind Dallas Star at Dundalk, with the Owning Hill handler responsible for some stiff opposition again in the form of JP McManus-owned pair Dawn Rising and Trustyourinstinct.

Meanwhile, Joseph’s brother Donnacha O’Brien fields Uncanny, who before disappointing at Saint-Cloud at the end of last season had been a consistent performer and also a course winner in the autumn.