Meet the eight-horse trainer on cloud nine after a remarkable Galway double

One of the most impressive training feats at Galway last week came from Wicklow handler Peter Lawlor, who sent two horses from his string of eight up to Ballybrit and returned with two winners, with bumper winner Murat eliciting particular excitement for the restricted trainer.

Lawlor is only permitted to train four horses in each code under a restricted licence. He has saddled 12 winners in the last five years and had his first runner at Galway last Tuesday with Summer Snow in the 7f handicap.

The five-year-old was rated 68 when joining Lawlor in April and had won handicaps at Leopardstown and Down Royal this season before running at Galway off a career-high mark of 81. She proved up to the challenge, recording a smooth victory under Rory Cleary at odds of 8-1.

Connections of Summer Snow following her win at GalwayCredit: Caroline Norris (racingpost.com/photos)

Lawlor had to wait until the last race of the week for his next chance as Killarney winner Murat contested the closing bumper. Finny Maguire took the ride on Murat, who never saw another rival and fended off the Willie Mullins-trained 6-4 favourite Al Arrivee by a length and three-quarters.

It was an astonishing return for the trainer, who was confident heading into the meeting.

"We were expecting them to run very well," Lawlor said. "Summer Snow's piece of work at the Curragh beforehand was exceptional, while Finny said Murat was ready to run a big race.

"Murat has a big future ahead of him, while Summer Snow is going through the ranks and will probably step into the 100 category next time. She's improving, seems to be handling better company well and came out of Galway great; she doesn't seem to have had that hard a race. I think there's more to come and she was raised 5lb, which isn't too bad."

Murat, a strapping son of Eliot whose dam is out of a half-sister to Champion Bumper winner Alexander Banquet, runs in the silks of the trainer, who is in no rush to sell the unbeaten six-year-old.

Murat: powered to victory at Galway under Finny MaguireCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

"Murat is a three-mile chaser in the making. The further he goes, the better. There's been interest in him and I said I needed a few days to think about it. It could be hard to hold on to him, but I'd love to. I don't mind at all if I don't sell him. He's a big-framed horse who'll take another 12 months of grazing and feeding to fill out."

With a 100 per cent strike-rate at the Galway races, Lawlor's outfit is sure to attract some interest and he's contemplating taking out a full licence.

"I'm a restricted trainer in both codes so I've eight in training. To bring two to Galway and both win, you could only dream of it but we were expecting big runs. For it to go and happen, it's unbelievable and those days don't come around often. 

"I do all the pretraining and started to give away horses to be broken. I got a few calls about people asking to come look at the place so if I got one or two more, I'd have to take out the full licence. I have the course done, so we'll see what happens."

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