The layers put him in this morning at 4/1 and despite doubling in price before the paddypower.com iPhone App Handicap Hurdle got underway, Arklow Ger came out on top in a slowly run race under a good ride from the front by Alain 'Squeaky' Cawley at Naas.
Rated 16Ib lower over hurdles than his chase rating, Arklow Ger put a couple of falls in recent times behind him, having returned to the fray after an absence of two years, to see off Rory Anna in this two miler by a length and a half.
Winning trainer Paul Nolan said: "It's nice to get a win with him after all the races he's thrown away. His jumping let him down over fences. He was rated 126 at that game at one stage and he's only a 102 over hurdles.
"Hopefully he won't get too much for that and we'll step him up in trip and he'd be better over longer. He hung a bit right there too and he'd be better going the other way.
"The jump at the last won it for him and he got a nice ride from Alain. He was a three mile horse over two miles so we had to force the pace."
Nolan also commented on some of the bigger names housed at his Toberona Stables, saying: "Joncol was disappointing the last day (3rd in the Hennessy) and it has been a disappointing season with him.
"However he has a problem, we know what it is and we're trying to rectify it.
"I'll only have a couple going to Cheltenham. Noble Prince will go in the Jewson but Shinrock Paddy won't be going. He needs a small wind-op.
"He got away with it at Naas but he didn't the last day (5th in the Boyne Hurdle last Sunday behind Voler La Vedette).
"We'll hopefully have him back for Fairyhouse."
