Lennon set to strike gold again with Saudi sponsorship deal

THE man who brokered the recent €1.7m sponsorship deal for show jumper Dermott Lennon says he is planning to announce a further arrangement next week that will make the first “look small”.

Samir Mirdad yesterday said the deal was with 15 members of the Saudi Arabian royal family and would see the world champion coaching riders and sourcing up to 40 top horses, worth in some cases up to €100,000.

"An advisor for the royal family had a one-hour meeting with Dermott yesterday. This is an exclusive deal, tapping into Dermott's expertise, and will run for the next three years. It will involve Dermott travelling to Saudi Arabia approximately four times a year," said Mr Mirdad.