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Fitzgerald: Pendleton does not look out of place in Foxhunter

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Pacha Du Polder (Victoria Pendleton

Pendleton notched her first win aboard Pacha Du Polder at Wincanton

  PICTURE: Edward Whitaker  

 By Mark Scully 10:00AM 5 MAR 2016 

FORMER jockey Mick Fitzgerald believes Victoria Pendleton looked a safe rider during her winning appearance aboard Pacha Du Polder at Wincanton on Wednesday and would not look out of place riding at the Cheltenham Festival.

A decision will be announced on Monday as to whether Pendleton will compete in the St James’s Place Foxhunter Chase at the festival, with this week’s victory boosting her chances of doing so.

The Wincanton success came after Pendleton was unseated from Pacha Du Polder, her intended mount in the Foxhunter, in the rider’s first outing under rules at Fakenham last month and Fitzgerald, speaking on The Morning Line, said he could see an improvement for the experience.

“It seemed like she got herself into a negative spin from the word go [at Fakenham] – she just didn’t look comfortable,” he said.

“It was a real different mindset at Wincanton, she made a real, aggressive go at it. It was almost like a boom or bust type of thing and it worked.

“The horse jumped really well for her, she looked confident, she looked safe. I think that’s the key word to use.

“You weren’t convinced at Fakenham but at Wincanton she looked a lot more assured, the difference was huge.

“When you look at other people who have ridden in the Foxhunters before, she does not look out of place.”

Fitzgerald’s comments add to an increasing wave of support for Pendleton, who was earlier deemed “an accident waiting to happen” by John Francome.

‘Great for the sport’

Fomer Grand National-winner Fitzgerald believes the publicity surrounding the Olympic gold medalist’s Betfair-sponsored campaign has been a good thing for racing.

“I think this is fantastic for the sport,” he said. “For someone to take on a challenge like this, who has achieved so much in her own sport, just goes to show what a big deal it is.

“It’s great that racing has embraced it and I think she’s embraced it as well.”

Pendleton frustrated after Fakenham

Also speaking on The Morning Line, Pendleton said she felt she had let herself down when unseating at Fakenham.

“I was so disappointed,” she said. “I didn’t do the horse justice and I didn’t do myself justice.

“It didn’t feel right. Whether I was just caught out by all the media being there and everyone bigging it up, I don’t know but I felt like I let myself down.

“I was saying ‘give me another go at it, please’ and it was so good to go to Wincanton and get the job done.”

 

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