Point-to-Point Focus

Catch up on the latest point-to-point focus column, which appeared in the Racing Post on Friday, Feb 28.

It is early days in the Tattersalls National Point-to-Point Championships, but a good contest is brewing for the national men’s title.

Alex Edwards, champion in 2017/18, leads with 13 wins, while reigning champion Will Biddick shares third with eight victories. In between lies Jack Andrews (pictured above), who has ridden 12 winners, and whose ability to sculp his frame into the shape of a jockey belies his 6ft 4ins.

Turn sideways and he can hide behind a bull rush, but his pedigree is racing to the core – his parents were successful amateurs, his sister Bridget is a professional jockey and elder sister Gina is chasing a seventh Skinner’s women’s point-to-point championship.

Gina, whose husband Tom Ellis is champion trainer, could prove an ally to her brother in late season. Jack says: “I’m not going to say I can’t win it [the men’s title], but it will be hard. It’s too early to get too het up about it, but it’s an aim. If I can keep tabs on Alex and Will I might get a few rides from Gina later in the season.

“Alex has Phil Rowley’s yard behind him, and Will had the Barbers on side when he started winning the title, but I rely on five or six smaller yards. Stuart Morris has a dozen horses [in Northamptonshire], I ride a few for Tom and Gina, and I also ride for Julie Wadland and David Phelan. Last weekend I picked up two for Gearoid Costelloe, and I could ride for him at Godstone on Sunday.

“The great thing is all my regular yards are keen for me to win the championship.”

While his sisters seem sure of Cheltenham Festival rides Jack is less hopeful, and says: “I’ll probably be at Fakenham on [Foxhunter] Friday,” but he does have some enviable ammo this weekend, including Fumet D’Oudairies, who at Horseheath is chasing his fourth win of the season.

The Ellis-trained five-year-old was bought for £800 at Doncaster in May, and Jack says: “It was a stroke of luck. Gina and I were at the sale when he walked in, and a few minutes later she said, ‘Why aren’t there any bids for this?’. I glanced at the catalogue and couldn’t see a problem so she stuck her hand up and got him on one bid.

“He’s a tiny rat of a thing, but has a fair engine.”

*Jack Andrews rode a double at Horseheath – including another win on Fumet D’Oudairies – and is now joint-leader in the men’s championship on 14 wins