Fishery Lane Hurdle upgraded to Grade 2 status and carries new sponsor

The Fishery Lane Hurdle, won in 2018 by subsequent Champion Hurdle hero Espoir D'Allen, has been upgraded to a Grade 2 and will carry a new sponsor on Saturday after Naas racecourse announced a new deal with Rathbarry and Glenview Studs.

The race, which is confined to four-year-olds, will be run as the Old Persian at Glenview Stud Fishery Lane Hurdle and carry a purse of €60,000.

Naas racecourse manager Eamonn McEvoy said: "We are delighted to welcome a new sponsor to the day, our first National Hunt fixture of the 2020-21 season. We are certainly back with a bang.

"The Old Persian at Glenview Fishery Lane Hurdle Grade 2, and the Rathbarry and 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."

He added: "Rathbarry and Glenview have been a source of top-class racehorses for generations and it is fitting that they have put their new stallion Old Persian's name to the prestigious Fishery Lane and I'm sure we will see his sons and daughters competing in the event in the not so distant future."

Jezki, the 2014 Champion Hurdle winner, also features on the Fishery Lane roll of honour and the race has attracted 12 entries, including Wolf Prince, who finished runner-up in the Grade 1 Spring Juvenile Hurdle last season.

Gavin Cromwell, trainer of Wolf Prince, said: "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."

High-class middle-distance horse Old Persian joins the roster at Glenview Stud that features Blue Bresil, Malinas, Shirocco, Sholokhov and Youmzain.

Speaking about teaming up with the Kildare track, Niamh Woods of Rathbarry & Glenview Studs, said: "We are delighted to join forces with Naas in sponsoring two attractive contests for the National Hunt sector in these uncertain times."

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