Jack Andrews returns to point-to-point circuit

Jack Andrews, who won the national men’s championship in the 2019/20 season, is returning to the sport after relinquishing his conditional jockey’s licence.

Andrews, 24, (pictured above)
rode in point-to-points for the first three weekends of last season but then became a professional jockey, and in early December bagged a treble at Doncaster. He went on to ride 15 winners as a paid rider, his final victory coming on Matchmaking at Huntingdon in June – that also proved to be the final winner trained by Northamptonshire’s Caroline Bailey, who subsequently handed in her trainer’s licence.

However, despite making a promising start to his new career he said: “I didn’t really enjoy it, and realised I much prefer point-to-pointing. I get a much bigger kick out of riding winners on young horses who I break in and get to ride at home.”

Andrews, who has rejoined the yard run by his brother-in-law, Tom Ellis, and his sister, Gina Andrews, said: “For me riding was never a job, but it became a job which I didn’t like. I struggle with my weight because I love riding, not because I want to make millions. I won’t be able to ride forever, so I want to enjoy it while I’m doing it.

“I’m back working full time for Tom and Gina so I’m being paid a wage again. It was a big step to become a conditional jockey and I’m glad I did it. It was okay to start with, but it became a lonely job – I live alone, and as a jockey you are on your own a lot and I didn’t enjoy the travelling. I prefer being part of a yard and working with a group of people.

“By April I knew it wasn’t for me, but I didn’t want to make a rash decision [about reverting to amateur status]. The highlight was riding the treble at Doncaster – plenty of professional jockeys find it hard to ride a treble, so for a conditional jockey to do it in their first few weeks was special.”

He added: “I’m looking forward to getting going again in the new season. I rang Stuart Morris and Julie Wadland, who I rode for in the past, and they were delighted, while Tom and Gina were over the moon. Gina knew something wasn’t right before I made the decision.”

Andrews landed the men’s championship with 15 winners in the season when the sport was stopped in early March due to the outbreak of Covid. His name is in the record books, but he says winning the title in a full season is now one of his chief goals.

“I’d like to do it in a full season and I’ll be having a proper go at it,” he said. “It might not happen in the coming season, but maybe the one after. Having won the title makes you hungry to do it again.”

Jack Andrews leads on Harper’s Brook when winning at Chaddesley Corbett in December 2020