Lawlor's Murat lands gamble on debut

Owned, trained and bred in Co Wicklow by Peter Lawlor, Murat landed a gamble in the concluding ML Lynch Civil Engineering (Pro/Am) INH Flat Race.

Available at 33/1 in early shows for this two-mile heat, the bay debutant eventually went off an 11/2 chance under Finian Maguire.

Settled behind the leader on the outer, the son of Eliot travelled strongly in third with a furlong-and-a-half to go.

Soon sent to the front, the five-year-old victor was ridden clear in the closing stages and came home five-and-a-half lengths to the good.

The front-running Lightup Lightup (7/1) filled the runner-up spot under Harry Swan, while shock Galway winner Brave Crogha (13/2) was another five lengths away in third.

Returned the 4/6 favourite, Pure Logic faded tamely with over a furlong to race and eventually finished a disappointing fourth.

"He was a bit green and while he hit the front a bit early, he had no choice and Finny did well with only a small amount of runners in the field," Lawlor commented.

"You're never certain of a win, but I was expecting to win.

"He is 17 hands high, is green as grass and there is improvement to come. He has a good pedigree, is by Peter Maher's stallion Eliot and I won a point-to-point with his dam, who was trained by Ross O'Sullivan.

"Maybe he is for sale I suppose, I'm a small trainer and need the bucks!"

Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes