Pendleton to race at Cheltenham Festival

Victoria Pendleton has been given the go-ahead to ride at the Cheltenham Festival next week, despite having another fall at the weekend.

First win

Pendleton was riding in the Kingston Blount point-to-point when she fell from Supreme Danehill between fences. It looked like the former cyclist would challenge the leader on the back straight, but she took a tumble after losing a stirrup.

This is the second time Pendleton has fallen in two weeks, which led many racing pundits to question her ability to ride in the Foxhunters Chase at Cheltenham.

However, she enjoyed her first win as an amateur jockey at Wincanton riding Pacha Du Polder on 2 March.

‘Well ready’

Her team has since agreed she is “well ready” for the challenge. She will once again be riding Pacha Du Polder, which trainer Paul Nicholls says is the “ideal” horse.

“At the beginning, I was dubious,” Nicholls told a press conference this morning at Royal Horseguards Hotel in London.”But from the start, Victoria’s enthusiasm and courage has been to the fore and her improvement month-to-month has been incredible.

“Pacha Du Polder is a super horse and a safe jumper. We need to ride him more patiently and take our time, but fifth or sixth would be a fantastic achievement.”

‘So much fun’

The double Olympic cycling champion thanked her support team and Pacha Du Polder’s owner Andy Stewart for letting her ride “such an incredible horse”. She also thanked jockeys AP McCoy, Aidan Coleman, Tom Scudamore who have publicly supported her.

“They would not let me ride if they thought for one second if was not capable,” Pendleton said. “It feels like I’ve won a gold medal already. I didn’t think I could get this far and have so much fun.”