Pendleton achieves her Cheltenham dream

Olympian Victoria Pendleton completed her remarkable ‘Switching Saddles’ challenge in style today when finishing fifth in the St James’s Place Foxhunter Chase at Cheltenham, just one year since taking up riding.

Girl power

Women dominated the headlines after the race, with top lady amateur Nina Carberry riding the Enda Bolger-trained On The Fringe to give her a second consecutive victory in this race. But though Victoria didn’t join Nina in the winners’ enclosure, she performed admirably on Pacha Du Polder to finish less than three lengths behind the winning pair.

Marito finished second, with Paint The Clouds and Current Event finishing third and fourth respectively.

Challenge

Opinions had varied hugely about the Betfair-sponsored project that saw Olympic cyclist Victoria learn how to race ride in the space of a year, with many feeling it was reckless for such a novice to take part in such a competitive race.

However, Pendleton answered her critics with a sensibly-judged ride, staying at the rear for the first circuit before gradually creeping up through the pack and delivering a strong finish up the famous Cheltenham hill.

Pacha Du Polder, a nine-year-old former Grade 2 winner, was the perfect choice of ride for the newbie jockey – jumping superbly and looking after his jockey every step of the 3mile 2½ furlong distance.

Tidy

“The first couple of fences came really quickly and, as you can probably tell by watching, I wasn’t the most tidy,” Victoria said afterwards. “Then we settled into a rhythm and I just kind of tried to relax into it. He jumped so beautifully, even with very little space, he really gave me a great opportunity and was very relaxed. I just tried to steady him up and stay on the inner as much as I could. I was really trying not to expend too much energy because I knew the trip was going to be the biggest challenge of the day.”

Pendleton paid tribute to her horse for helping her achieve her dream, and thanked Pacha Du Polder’s owner Andy Stewart and trainer Paul Nicholls for giving her the ride. “They have very kindly given me the chance to ride such a fantastic horse. A better jockey on that horse would have won the race today,” she added.

Superb

Paul Nicholls was also quick to give credit to the jockey. “For Victoria to finish fifth after all the publicity and people doubting her ability was superb,” he said. “Believe you me, Team Ditcheat would not have let her go out there today if she was not ready. She has improved enormously and was brilliant today.”

Winning jockey Nina Carberry, who has won six races in total at the Cheltenham Festival, including three Foxhunter Chases, also paid tribute to Victoria. “She’s got an unbelievable attitude to the whole thing and I’m delighted she got around – fifth place is a great achievement. She has the competitive edge and she loves it to bits,” said Nina.

What next

Having completed her Switching Saddles task, Victoria plans to stay involved in the sport – tomorrow she is due to ride out for Alan and Lawney Hill, who have been her mentors throughout the challenge, and she plans to continue riding in point-to-points.

But while the Festival is over, Britain’s most successful female Olympian will never forget her Cheltenham moment. “I was just completely focused on what I was doing and it wasn’t until I got to the home straight that I was aware that there was noise. The reception was almost like I’d won coming back in. It was quite humbling. It was an experience I will never forget – it will rank right up there with being in the Olympic Velodrome,” she said.

“I’d like to thank everyone for making it possible because it was ambitious, it was a dream, it was audacious, it was ridiculous! We all gave it our best shot and you know what? I got round!”

Timeline

How an Olympic champion was turned into an amateur jockey in the space of a year.

March 6 2015:Announces her intention to take up Betfair’s ‘Switching Saddles’ challenge, with the aim of riding in the Foxhunter Chase at the 2016 Cheltenham Festival.

July 2:Makes her racecourse bow when finishing eighth on Mighty Mambo in the George Frewer Charity Race in a Flat race at Newbury.

August 26:Granted an amateur riders’ licence by the British Horseracing Authority.

August 31:Takes her first mount as a fully-fledged amateur rider, finishing second, beaten just a head, aboard Royal Etiquette in a Flat race at Ripon.

September 22:Teams up with Royal Etiquette again in a Flat race at Beverley but can finish only 13th of the 16 runners.

October 24:Escapes injury as she is unseated by Satanic Beat in a lady amateur riders’ Flat race at Newbury.

November 29:Makes her point-to-point debut at Black Forest Lodge in Devon, where she pulls up Minella Theatre two fences from home.

December 6:Teams up with According To Sarah for her second point-to-point start at Barbury Castle but she fails to complete.

January 17 2016:Completes her first point-to-point race as Supreme Danehill finishes fourth at Black Forest Lodge.

January 24:Completes aboard both According To Sarah and Minella Theatre in two rides at Higham.

January 31:Rides Pacha Du Polder, her intended mount in the St James’s Place Foxhunter Chase, for the first time in public at Milborne St Andrew, with the duo beaten into second in a photo.

February 7:Fails to complete on Working Title at Wadebridge point-to-point.

February 13:Finishes fourth aboard According To Sarah in a ladies’ open event at Cottenham then emerges unscathed after being unseated by Working Title at Barbury Castle the following day.

February 19:Her first start over regulation fences ends in disappointment and anti-climax as she is unseated at the seventh fence in a hunter chase at Fakenham on Pacha Du Polder.

February 21:Swiftly back in the saddle at the Waveney Harriers point-to-point at Higham, finishing last of the six finishers.

February 27:Finishes seventh on Supreme Danehill at Horseheath point-to-point and finishes sixth of 15 on According To Sarah at Larkhill the following day.

March 2:Pacha Du Polder makes all the running under Pendleton to win as the 5/4 favourite in a hunter chase at Wincanton.

March 5:Unseated from Supreme Danehill ina point-to-point at Kingston Blount.

March 7:Confirmed that she will ride Pacha Du Polder in the Foxhunter at the Cheltenham Festival.

March 18: Finishes fifth in the St James’s Place Foxhunter Chase at Cheltenham