Gina and Jack Andrews are undoubtedly the highest profile siblings on the South Midlands pointing scene, but Charlie and George Case may soon have something to say about that.
24-year-old Charlie (above left) rode his first winners in 2017 and is currently enjoying his best season, and George (above right), 21, made his debut between the flags last year and rode his first winner in March. Jake Exelby Zoomed with the brothers recently to find out more about their careers, what makes them tick… and fraternal rivalry.
Tell me about yourselves and your background in racing
Charlie: Our father Ben trains under rules. Our grandfather Robert started it all. He was involved at Fakenham – Dad’s from Norfolk – and our uncle Adam was chairman of the racecourse until last year.
I had my first ride aged 16, coming fourth on Freddy Fox at Whitfield – I was only allowed one ride that season! The next year, David Allen (former owner of the Edgcote estate, where Ben trains) gave us Breaking the Bank and I couldn’t have asked for a better ride. We won four out of six, he was champion South Midlands horse, and I was leading area novice.
A younger Charlie with Freddy Fox (Caroline Exelby)
I then went to work for the Hills. I was pretty green, and Alan was a hard, but fair, jockey coach and gave me experience. I got to ride The Gunner Brady for the Cranfields and won two on him, which improved my riding.
A couple of years ago, I got a phone call from Michael Kehoe the week before I first rode Allo Allo for him at High Easter. We won, and I’ve ridden for him ever since. I owe a lot to that horse.
Charlie winning on Paper Mill at Ampton for Michael Kehoe (Neale Blackburn)
That summer, I saw a job in New Zealand advertised on Facebook. I had nothing on, so went over there. Weight was an issue – I’m 11 stone and had to ride at 10st 3lb – but I had about 30 rides, two winners and about a dozen places. It’s a small scene and leading jockey Shaun Phelan got on everything good, so I kept finishing second to him! It was a good experience, hard work but enjoyable.
George: I’m not going there as there’s no chance of me getting down to 10-3!
Until I was 14, I had no interest in riding, but Paddy Barlow’s dad is Charlie’s godfather. Paddy had a pony, Tiny Dancer, that he offered to me when he got too old for pony racing. I enjoyed it and haven’t stopped riding since.
I rode Wisecracker in a charity race then had my first pointing mount on him at Kimble last season. I’ve ridden him at home since he was four or five and know him better than anyone. He likes firm ground so will hopefully run a few times before the end of the year. He’s aptly named – a wise old schoolmaster.
George on Wisecracker
Charlie: You still managed to put him on the floor at Dingley!
George: Elmdale (his first winner) is owned by Phoebe Jones (nee Taylor), whose sister Verity rides out for Dad. Joe Stevenson, our head lad, normally rides for the Taylors, but he’d broken his shoulder, so they gave me the ride at Garthorpe after Zac Baker had won on him at Brafield-on-the-Green. He’s a pleasure to ride and ran well again next time at Kimble.
Post-race celebrations at Garthorpe (Nico Morgan)
Will your sister Amelia follow the two of you into the saddle?
George: No, she’s got no interest unless she’s going to Cheltenham or Aintree!
Which other pointers would you most like to ride?
Charlie: I was discussing this with Zac and would say Kaproyale, as I’m fed up with seeing his backside! I’ve been placed behind him twice and driven Zac to the races both times. I told him, ‘I know that horse, but I’ve never seen the front of it.’
George: Grace A Vous Enki, who’s doing pretty well this season. Dad’s good friends with Matt Sheppard (whose wife Nickie trains the horse) – in fact, Matt and Stuart Edmunds are probably his only friends (!) – and James King thinks he’s one of the best pointers he’s ever ridden.
Which jockeys do you most admire?
George: Jack Andrews. He rode for Dad when he was a conditional, is very professional, has helped me a lot, and knows his pointing inside out.
Charlie: You’d be hard pushed to say anyone other than his sister Gina. She’s tough as nails and has a knack of riding winners even when it doesn’t look like she can.
What are your favourite courses?
George: I have to say Garthorpe. Also, Edgcote, as I can walk there.
Charlie: I love a day out at Edgcote and one of my favourite days was when I rode my first winner there, on Aunty Joan. And Horseheath is a very fair track, big and galloping with competitive racing and nice ground.
Charlie winning on Mitchouka at Horseheath (Graham Bishop)
What would you do if you were in charge of the sport?
Charlie: I’d increase the number of wins before you’re no longer a novice rider. Five winners isn’t enough experience and, the longer you stay a novice, the more chance you have of outside rides. When you’re not one, it’s hard to go up against the likes of Jack and James and it took me years to start picking up rides for new trainers. Tom Hutsby could have the same issues if he loses his novice status this year.
I like the Grass Roots riders races, as they give you the chance to ride against other similar riders and it’s easier to pick up spares. I rode in one at Higham recently.
George: I’d get rid of bumpers. They take horses away from Maiden races and we want to increase the number of British pointers being bought, but bumper winners don’t seem to achieve anything.
Where do you see the future of point-to-pointing?
Charlie: I’d love to carry on riding and get on an upward trajectory, but I don’t know how long pointing’s got left. Hunting’s being closed down and there are more restrictions on the whip, so I can’t see it lasting forever.
George: If Labour gets in, hunting’s gone, and hunting funds pointing. I hope there’s a way of keeping the sport going without hunting, but it would be expensive to fund.
What would you do if you weren’t involved with horses?
George: I don’t think my life won’t involve racing. I’d like to get a joint-licence with Dad one day – in the winter and spring of the 2022-season I was pupil assistant to Anthony and Sam Freedman in Melbourne.
Charlie: He’d probably be a binman! As for me, I’ve got a degree in Real Estate from Oxford Brookes University, so – if I wasn’t riding – I’d probably be halfway to being qualified as a valuer. That’s definitely in the background.
What hobbies do you have outside racing?
George: Not a lot. I’m obsessed with racing and probably watch more of it than anyone else! And I’m a Northampton Saints (rugby to the uninitiated) fan – I’ve been several times this season.
Charlie: That’s just because he gets to take his girlfriend out once a week! Her cousin plays for the team and Fin Smith (Northampton and England fly half) was in the year below me at school.
I play a lot of cricket – I’m an all-rounder and do it for fun but play for a local club. I’ve come up against Joe Hill – there’s a lot of rivalry there, and we’re very competitive. I had county trials for Northamptonshire and Warwickshire when I was younger.
What about music, films, and TV?
George: Morgan Wallen, who sings new country. I saw him in Melbourne and he’s playing Hyde Park this summer.
Charlie: We have similar tastes in music. I like Zach Bryan and Johnny Cash – I Hung My Head is my favourite song of his. As for TV, Friday Night Dinner.
George: My favourite film is Fury. On TV, I like Peaky Blinders. Anything with aggression, really – I like a good war film! Oh, and Racing TV or Sky Sports Racing.
What’s your brother’s best quality?
George on Charlie: Chatting up women, although he hasn’t got a girlfriend at the moment!
Charlie on George: For someone who didn’t do well at school, he’s sharp. He makes you laugh with his funny comments.
And what irritates you most about him?
George on Charlie: He’s got verbal diarrhoea!
Charlie on George: He’s never wrong. Even if he says he’s put a rug on a horse, he hasn’t done it!
What’s the daftest thing he’s ever done?
George on Charlie: There are a lot to choose from, so I can’t say.
Charlie on George: That makes me sound feral! I agree, there are too many.
How would you describe him?
George on Charlie: Determined, aggressive, agricultural! Nobody wants to win in a finish more than him.
Charlie on George: He’s growing on me! It’s nice to have him pointing. I was having a torrid day at Larkhill when he rode his first winner and tried to call him four or five times. When he finally answered, I said, ‘So you’ve finished with all your fans. Just because you’ve had a winner, it doesn’t mean you can tell me how to ride!”