Hokey battles gamely to see–off market rival

THE heavily-backed Oh Be The Hokey continued Charlie Swan’s rich vein of form when battling strongly to resist market rival, Joueur d’Estraval, in the McCarthy Group Insurance Hurdle at Cork yesterday.

The J P McManus owned winner was taken from 5-4 to 4-5, but it took the considerable talents of streetwise Conor O’Dwyer to see him last home by a length.

Outsider, Billy The Snail, kept Oh Be The Hokey company for much of the journey up front, but O’Dwyer had enough of that heading to the final turn and eased his charge ahead.