Why Bridget Andrews hasn't been race-riding this winter

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If you've found yourself wondering, at some point this jumps season: "Whatever happened to Bridget Andrews?", well, wonder no more. "I'm on the sidelines, as we're expecting a baby in April," she tells the Front Runner.

All is going well and the 30-year-old reports that both she and her husband, Harry Skelton, are very excited in their different ways. "He says, 'Why won't it hurry up?' quite a lot of the time. I think it's flying by." 

It's a happy event for all concerned, of course. But there's some poignancy if you're a particular fan of Andrews as a jockey because, while she is not retiring herself for definite, it's clearly going to be a long time before we see her race-riding again and there's a chance that day may not come at all.

You'll recall how well things went for her in the early months of last year. She won the Lanzarote on West Balboa (12-1) and then the County Hurdle on Faivoir (33-1), both victories achieved by a matter of inches. It was the second time in six years she'd won the County on a 33-1 shot.

That was all a great improvement on what had happened the year before, when she broke her neck in three places in a fall at Warwick. "I didn't want that to be the end," was one of the things she said in the winner's enclosure at last year's Cheltenham Festival.

Bridget Andrews celebrates winning the County Hurdle Faivoir at Cheltenham last MarchCredit: Edward Whitaker

She hasn't been in a race since July and it's a month now since she last sat on a horse at the Warwickshire stables of her brother-in-law, Dan Skelton. "I rode until about new year and then the horses I ride frequently, Nurse Susan, Get A Tonic, Let It Rain, they'd all had their runs and were having a little break. I'd been quite comfortable riding them every day.

"That was the time to say, right, enough's enough. I didn't want to get on horses I didn't know that well.

"But I'm not one to sit at home. I'm in the yard every morning, doing whatever needs done and I have been going racing a little bit, which I enjoy."

One of those ventures was to Kempton for the Lanzarote, when she travelled with Tristan Durrell, the 3lb claimer who then won the race for the Skelton yard aboard Jay Jay Reilly (33-1).

"We went down together and he said to me, 'How do I win the Lanzarote?' I said, well, it took me all my career, so I don't know that an hour and a half on the way down is going to be enough time.

"He's doing really well. Over the past few years, we've been helping him along and hoping he would step into my role when my time was up." 

Jay Jay Reilly: Bridget Andrews was at Kempton in January to see jockey Tristan Durrell win the Lanzarote Hurdle Credit: Mark Cranham

Does she miss race-riding? "I wouldn't say I'm missing the day to day. Of course I miss the Saturdays and the big days. Faivoir running in the Betfair Hurdle, of course I miss days like that. 

"But I've had my fun. I achieved more than I ever thought I would. There was never going to be a right time to walk away from it and I don't think there's ever a perfect time to start a family. I'm happy with where I am."

Does she see herself returning to race-riding in due course? "I don't know. I don't want to say I'm retired. But, realistically, it's an all-consuming job. You're either in it or you're not.

"I always preferred midwinter, when you're in your routine, going racing every day. I didn't enjoy the summer so much, when you just had a ride here or there.

"Could I ride a few bumper horses? Maybe. Dan has very much left the door open and I'm very lucky in that way. We'll cross that bridge when we get to it."

Bridget Andrews kisses the trophy after West Balboa won the Lanzarote Hurdle at Kempton last seasonCredit: Mark Cranham

So, then, without wanting to sound too final about it, what have been the best moments of her career so far? "Definitely my two festival winners. Obviously my first one was great but I appreciated my second one more. The Lanzarote was great. 

"I've had some brilliant days. I've had such a great job, no pressure on me the whole way through. Me and Dan knew what suited me and I was never put in a position I didn't want to be in. I was really lucky, loved every minute of it. I'm quite content with what I've done."

She plans to be at Cheltenham next month and Aintree in mid-April. Regular readers of the Front Runner will be well aware that the Skelton yard has a real shot at Grand National glory with Latenightpass, invariably ridden by Andrews' sister, Gina. It would be a shame to miss that but, at some stage in the closing weeks of the jumps season, she's going to be distracted from the action on the track.

"I'm not huge at the minute, I'm still getting about fine," Andrews says. "I'd like to think I'll make it to Aintree. If it comes along then, I'm sure there'll be a hospital nearby.

"I think the baby's due literally a couple of days before Sandown, so I probably won't make it to Ayr..."

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'That was good enough for a Supreme' - Tullyhill as short as 5-1 for festival opener after dominant display 

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