Lady toughest in Naas mud David O'Brien trained the opening winner Derinlaur to win his point-to-point and a few races later the Piltown, County Kilkenny-based handler got on the scoresheet himself when Ballinahow Lady showed stamina in abundance at Naas to take the Kill Maiden Hurdle under Johnny Cullen. With 4/7 favourite Original Option running too bad to be true, the way was left open for Ballinahow Lady to stay on dourly up the straight to see off the staying-on Emmas Island and the always prominent but one-paced Jack Bene. O'Brien looks after the point-to-point winning daughter of Beneficial for the MC Syndicate and he said: "She is a tough girl and she needs a distance. It was too quick for her at Limerick last time. She was placed earlier in the year on good ground but I put her away as I knew she needed it soft. "She is getting stronger and hopefully she'll pick up another couple before she goes chasing. Hopefully the handicapper will look after us now."
