Naas unveils new sponsor for Fishery Lane Hurdle Rathbarry & Glenview Studs are the latest in a line of new industry sponsors to team up with Naas Racecourse. The studs will include the name of stallion Old Persian, new to their Roster for 2021, in the title for the €60,000 Fishery Lane hurdle which has been upgraded to Grade 2 status this season. The Old Persian at Glenview Stud Fishery Lane Hurdle will be staged on Saturday 21st November at the Kildare track. Eamonn McEvoy, General Manager of Naas Racecourse: “We are delighted to welcome a new sponsor to the day, our first national hunt fixture of the 20-21 season we are certainly back with a bang. The Old Persian at Glenview Fishery Lane Hurdle G2 and the Rathbarry & Glenview Studs Novice Handicap Chase sees the welcome arrival of the Cashman family to Naas, we are especially grateful for their support in these times. Rathbarry and Glenview have been source of top class racehorses for generations and it is very fitting that they have put their new stallion Old Persian’s name to the prestigious Fishery Lane and I am sure we will see his sons and daughters competing in the event in the not so distant future.” Top-class middle-distance horse Old Persian a winner at 2, 3 and 4 years of 6 Stakes races and nearly €4 million in prize money is the latest recruit to the National Hunt Stallion Roster at Glenview Stud. The son of Dubawi confirmed himself a high class performer over a mile and a half when taking the Group 1 Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan and the Grade 1 Northern Dancer Turf Stakes at Woodbine. Old Persian joins the existing National Hunt Roster of Blue Bresil, Malinas, Shirocco, Sholokhov and Youmzain at Glenview Stud for 2021. Niamh Woods of Rathbarry & Glenview Studs commented: “We are delighted to join forces with Naas racecourse in sponsoring two attractive contests for the National Hunt sector in these uncertain times.” The Fishery Lane Hurdle has thrown up some top-notch winners in the past at Grade 3 Status including the 2018 Champion Hurdle winner Espoir D’allen and the 2019 Martin Pipe winner at Cheltenham, Early Doors. Grand Roi heads the 2020 entries, a £400,000 purchase who finished 3rd on first start for the Gordon Elliot team. Gavin Cromwell, successful with Espoir D'Allen in 2018 will be well represented by Wolf Prince. The four-year-old gelding finished second in the Grade 1 Spring Juvenile Hurdle at Leopardstown in February. Cromwell said on Tuesday morning: “We started off this season with a run on the flat which we were happy with. He ran in Down Royal at the big meeting and he disappointed so hopefully he can bounce back from that.” The card this Saturday will be the opening National Hunt meeting of the season at Naas and the other newly upgraded to Grade 2, The Poplar Square Steeplechase, has attracted a mouth-watering eight entries and could see a repeat of last year’s Grade 1 Racing Post Novice chase at Leopardstown with Notebook and Fakir D'oudairies entered. Willie Mullins is responsible for four of the eight entries including Allaho, Annamix, Cash Back and Melon.
