So Smooth as Slattery's Tom easily beats sextet of rivals The Andy Slattery trained Smooth Tom proved far too strong for a sextet of rivals when winning the Bar One Racing Hurdle at Cork. Last seen when finishing third in the Irish Lincoln on the Flat last month, the well backed 10/3 chance(from 8/1), made a flawless transition back to hurdles. Tracking the early pace set by Way Down South, Cian Quirke went on after the fourth flight. Jumping well in the main, the six-year-old looked in trouble at the penultimate flight as King Of Kingsfield and Intellotto loomed large. However, with a superior turn of foot, Smooth Tom was able to quicken right away on the run to the final flight, with Quirke afforded the luxury of easing down for a facile five-and-a-half length success. Andy Slattery said: "He was placed in two Lincolns and why that race suits, is that he goes on any ground but wouldn't have any chance over a mile on good. "I had a mad idea of entering him in the Chester Cup over 2m2f as he is that type of horse, but it is only an idea at the moment. "Padraig (O'Rourke, owner) is from the Punchestown area so we could also supplement him for the Champion Hurdle. We'll see what happens but if there's only five runners, why not." He added "He unseated at Down Royal last November and galloped loose on the ambulance road for 1m4f. I don't know what happened the next day but obviously that had an effect, so we left him off and he hasn't looked back since. "I was thinking of the Galway Hurdle for him last year but I have his sister Royal Hollow for that. That's her aim but we could run both: they are grand horses to have." Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes.
