World’s tallest jockey aiming to land Geri and Christian Horner a Cheltenham winner with horse trained at their house
NOW, tell me what you want, what you really, really, want, I’ll tell you what I want, what I really, really, want . . . a winner at Cheltenham.
Legendary pop star Geri Horner hopes the world’s tallest jockey can Spice her life Up by riding a winner on her horse at the Festival.
And lanky jockey Jack Andrews reckons he can deliver just that on Ginger Spice’s horse Lift Me Up who runs in Friday’s Hunter Chase.
Former Spice Girl queen Horner has swapped the glitz and glamour of showbiz for tweed and mud of point-to-points.
Married to Red Bull F1 team principle Christian, Horner has four horses in training with Maxine Filby, but none of them are ever far away.
Six-foot-four Andrews said: “They’re very busy but I spoke to Christian a few weeks ago and he was in good form — this has been the aim for a long time.
“Christian and Geri love the horses — Maxine actually trains them from Christian and Geri’s house near Banbury.
“They love the fact the yard is on their doorstep so they visit them all the time. What people don’t see or realise, is Christian and Geri will nearly always be there when their horses run in point to points — come rain or shine. They love the day out and it’s an escape for them.
“I’m sure Geri will be at Cheltenham to cheer us on, but Christian is on duty with Red Bull at the Australian Grand Prix.”
Lift Me Up has won four of his seven points, but also has cracking form in hunter chases, going close in the Champion Foxhunters at Stratford last May.
And he returned this season with a cosy win over Benny’s King at Warwick, a horse who has since bolted up in a really competitive race at Leicester.
It sparked great scenes in the winner’s enclosure — with Geri and Christian leading the celebrations — and that could be the case again on Friday.
Andrews said: “Geri and Christian were keen to go Cheltenham last year but things didn’t quite work out.
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“That turned out to be a good thing as the horse has matured and improved a great deal since.
“He’s a tricky horse, he travels well but doesn’t want to do much when he gets to the front. Given that stamina is one of his biggest assets, that does present quite a challenge for me!
“It happened again at Warwick, where I kicked on just before two-out and when he’s jumped the last, I could already tell he was starting to idle and was trying to find where his rivals were or something to look at.
“He did the bare minimum to win that. Benny’s King has been a good yardstick and won well since which gives us a boost. We’re now just praying they don’t over-water, as the better side of soft would be perfect.
“I don’t really have a game plan, I’ll just try to get him into a rhythm and play my cards as late as possible. Hopefully he’ll help me out and pick them up coming up the hill!”
Andrews, 26, was the National Point To Point Champion in 2019-20 and is a household name in that sphere.
His sister is Gina Andrews, who is also a jockey and tasted Cheltenham Festival success when Domesday Book won the 2017 Kim Muir for trainer Stuart Edmunds.
Cheltenham success runs in the veins and in tandem with Tom Ellis — Gina’s husband and point-to-point trainer — Andrews is enjoying the ride.
Andrews added: “Being the tallest jockey in the world isn’t something that affects my riding — but it does bring me attention, which is no bad thing!
“I’ve been doing this long enough I hope people realise whether I’m 7ft tall or 4ft tall, I have the talent to compete with the best.
“A Festival winner would be very sweet — it’s why we do this.”
Now he just hopes Lift Me Up will be sugar and Spice and all things nice for Geri this week.
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