Beir Bua in cruise control at Sligo Beir Bua eased home by 11 lengths in the hands of Cian Quirke in the DecoClip Construction Mares Maiden Hurdle at Sligo for in-form Andy Slattery. The 3/1 joint favourite tracked Colugo and a better jump four out saw her hit the front. She increased her lead over the next and was on good terms with herself two out. At this stage, Lumiere Du Large was her closest rival, but she was toiling in her bid to close the gap. Beir Bua was clear at the last and although she was less than foot perfect, Quirke was still virtually motionless on her back as she glided home from Lumiere Du Large (13/2). Crystable was a neck off the runner-up at 40/1. Quirke said: "She has improved physically over the winter, and is a more relaxed mare now. "She was keen in Kilbeggan last year, we were looking back at the race and she was doing 35 miles an hour three out, and that's a long way out at Kilbeggan. She made a couple of bad mistakes too. "I was conscious of that going to the last and she galloped through it, but she was clever and found her legs. "I walked the track with Willie (Slattery, assistant trainer) and there's a narrow strip near the rail which is less watered, so that's where we wanted to be. "The ground is on the easy side of good, and she wouldn't want it any slower than that, she needs good ground." "She'll have to step up in grade now, but I think she can." Additional reporting by Mark Nunan
