Willie Mullins extended his excellent recent record in the Surehaul Mercedes-Benz Novice Hurdle at Clonmel as Arkwrisht ran out a determined winner under Ruby Walsh.
The 12-1 shot was one of three runners for leading owners Gigginstown House Stud, with retained rider Bryan Cooper preferring the winner's stable companion Stone Hard to both Arkwrisht and the Gordon Elliott-trained Roman Gold.
With the two-mile-six-furlong Grade Three having been run at a sedate gallop for a long way, Walsh took the bull by the horns heading down the back straight, rushing Arkwrisht to the front in an apparent attempt to run the finish out of his rivals.
Cooper and Stone Hard went in pursuit, as did Luke Dempsey aboard Westend Star.
Stone Hard weakened disappointingly in the straight, though, and while Westend Star did his best to make a race of it, Arkwrisht safely negotiated the final flight to seal a two-and-a-half-length verdict.
Mullins said: "He didn't jump great but he stays all day and is improving with every run.
"He could go for the Purcell Hurdle at Thurles or maybe the Albert Bartlett (at Cheltenham). It would be an extra quarter-mile but that was like three miles on the ground. I'm very happy with him.
"I was very disappointed with Stone Hard. He had worked well during the week but it's back to the drawing board with him."
Mullins and Cooper had earlier combined to land the Surehaul Race Day Maiden Hurdle, with 9-2 chance Fire In Soul defying a market drift to make a successful debut under Rules.
"He jumped very well and obviously stays well. That ground is very testing and very tacky," said Mullins.
"He could easily go out in trip. We could have run him in a bumper, but decided to go straight over hurdles and he will go over fences next season."
Cooper went on to complete a treble by riding a double for Elliott.
Water Sprite was a 7-2 winner of the Kilsheelan Mares Maiden Hurdle, while Bright New Dawn (1-2 favourite) secured his first win in almost two years in the Micro Dog ID Chase.
Elliott said: "That was grand to get his head in front, although Bryan said he hated the tacky ground.
"We'll keep him entered up in those conditions races and it's possible he could go for something like the Grand Annual at Cheltenham. There will be a fast pace and we could drop him in."