West Country-based Darren Andrews was the rider to follow at Warwick’s evening hunters’ chase meeting.
Andrews (pictured above) rode a double with victories on the Bea Coward-trained Ultimate Survivor (7/4f) and Corporal Jackjones (5/2) from the stable of Poppy Skipper.
Interviewed by GB Pointing’s Alan Johns, Andrews, 32, said of Ultimate Survivor, who was the easy winner of the Pertemps Network Intermediate Hunters’ Chase: “The start was a bit scrappy and I didn’t jump off where I wanted to be, but the main aim was to switch off and get into a rhythm. I got a dream run from three out on the inside of Brad [Gibbs on third-placed Practice Run] and while I felt I might have committed too soon we put the race to bed.
“He’s lightly raced, but he has a good future.”
Following his victory on Corporal Jackjones in The Jonathan Neesom Memorial Open Hunters’ Chase, which was run in memory of the late racing writer and broadcaster, Andrews told Johns: “He’s been a great servant this season as you can tell from his form figures. Poppy hasn’t been shy in running him and he’s now won two hunters’ chase including the big one tonight.”
Warwick stepped in to stage the meeting after remedial ground work meant Cheltenham had to pull out of staging the fixture. Andrews said: “I’m very grateful to Warwick for putting the meeting on and doing such a lovely job on the ground – it is drying out as the evening goes on, but what do you expect with this weather.
“I’m keeping my fingers crossed to stay injury free and keep kicking for the rest of the season – then I’ll get on the tractor and go farming.”
