'I'm still hungry for the odd winner!' - Seamie Heffernan beats old boss Aidan O'Brien on 50-1 outsider Dallas Star

A Ballysax bombshell. Seamie Heffernan, who was on one of only two in the race not trained by Aidan O'Brien, beat his old boss on a 50-1 outsider for trainer Adrian Murray, who was very tempted to give the game up not so long ago. You couldn't make it up. 

Heffernan, would you believe, had never won the Ballysax before. The Group 3 has gone to O'Brien 11 times in all, but the rider wasn't on any of them and, ironically, his maiden success in the event has arrived following his split from Ballydoyle.

For Murray, the shock success of Dallas Star was a fourth Group-race victory as his career continues to hit heights he never dreamt of reaching. 

The winning trainer said: "I never thought I’d see the day where we would be competing in the same races as Aidan O’Brien. It's unbelievable. 

"I was so near to packing it in a few years ago and it’s amazing the way things can turn around. The horses are very healthy and that is a big thing."

Dallas Star spent his juvenile campaign with Dominic Ffrench Davis in Britain and must have been held in high regard while there given he rocked up in the Chesham at Royal Ascot on his second start. He may have been 80-1 that day, but he was beaten less than three lengths. 

His sole success at two arrived in a Bath novice, and his final appearance last year was when third of four to Arabian Crown in the Zetland Stakes at Newmarket. The fact he was still only rated 90 meant he had 19lb to find with 8-11 favourite Illinois on the figures. 

Dallas Star and Seamie Heffernan pull clear in the Ballysax Stakes at LeopardstownCredit: Patrick McCann

Not that you would have known during the race as Dallas Star was always either first or second and quickened up quite smartly in the conditions to put three lengths between himself and The Euphrates at the line with a further two and a quarter lengths back to Illinois in third. 

Murray said of future plans: "He’ll be entered in all the big races now I suppose and we’ll see where we go. I’ll have to chat to Kia [Joorabchian, owner] and Robson [Aguiar] and see where they want to go. He came to us over the winter and is a lovely horse."

He was given a lovely ride by Heffernan, who kicked at the right time and always looked in command up the straight. 

"I'm still hungry for the odd winner!" he smiled. "He was probably a bit weak last year. He was fit and tough and he handled the ground. He won well. The boys know what they are doing."

Despite failing to add a 12th Ballysax in 2024, O'Brien wasn't too downbeat afterwards and feels there is a world of improvement to come from Illinois. 

He said: "Illinois ran a lovely race and just got a bit tired in the deep ground. He was working lovely, but he's a big horse and we didn't want to over-squeeze him for his first run because we felt the season was going to be long for him. 

"We've often felt with those type of horses that if you over-squeeze them early in the season, it can catch you in the middle of the season so we just had him ready to run and he ran a lovely race. Ryan said he struggled in the ground and he will come forward a lot from it."

This was a Sunday to savour for Murray and Heffernan, though, as Dallas Star delivered an unlikely but deserved victory.

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