NAAS RACECOURSE ARE DOING NINETY!!!!
Celebrated Kildare Racecourse Secures first Grade 1 Race in it’s 90 Year History
Ninety years ago Vladimir Lenin died, the infamous J Edgar Hoover took up the reigns at the FBI, Mercedes Benz was formed, comedian Benny Hill and famed Irish golfer Christy O’Connor Snr were born, the Caesar Salad was invented, Sackville St was renamed O’Connell St, Irish was made compulsory in all schools, a rodeo took place in Croke Park, Dublin and Kerry won the hurling and football All Irelands and MGM Studios and Naas Racecourse were founded!
Naas Racecourse, where the great Cheltenham champion Mill House (Arkle’s greatest rival) won his first race, will host its first Grade 1 race in their 90 year history on Sunday 4th of January 2015. Lawlor’s Hotel have come on board as welcome sponsors of the race with a longstanding connection to Naas Racecourse. Mrs Brigid Lawlor established Lawlor’s Hotel in 1913 and she also bred the great Mill House, who celebrated his first victory at Naas in the Osberstown Hurdle in 1961.
The Lawlor’s Hotel Novice Hurdle boasts past champions such as Carvills Hill and Ventana Canyon. Recent renewals of the Novice Hurdle have featured top-class performers such as Briar Hill, Champagne Fever, Very Wood, Rule The World, Lyreen Legend, Mikael D’Haguenet, Monksland, Trafford Lad and Venalmar, as well as the 2014 Crabbie’s Grand National winner Pineau De Re.
Tom Ryan, Manager, comments: “The realisation of a Grade 1 race for Naas has been a long-standing goal here for many years. We pride ourselves on providing a high-quality venue for young horses to prepare for festival meetings especially for Cheltenham and in fact four graduates from this race have actually won in Cheltenham over the past five years. We are delighted to have local sponsors Lawlor’s Hotel on board, with their deep racing history we couldn’t ask for a better sponsor for this prestigious race.”
Francine O’ Hagan, Sales & Marketing Executive, Lawlor’s Hotel, comments: “We are delighted to be sponsoring Naas Racecourse’s first Grade 1 race, Lawlor’s Hotel has a longstanding connection to Naas. This is also an exciting year for Lawlor’s as we make further improvements to the hotel with the opening of 18 additional rooms in the New Year and more plans in the pipeline. It seemed a natural fit for us and we look forward to continuing our association with this race for many years.”
Launch of the Grade 1 Lawlor’s Hotel Novice Hurdle, Naas Racecourse Sunday 4th January with Race Ambassador Niall Quinn IMAGE 1
Niall Quinn (Race Ambassador), Edel Mc Cabe (Marketing & P.R. Manager, Naas Racecourse), Francine O’ Hagan (Sales & Marketing Executive, Lawlor’s Hotel), Fionna Feehan (Sales & Marketing, Lawlor’s Hotel) and Willie Robinson (Former Mill House Jockey).