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Victoria Pendleton faces final decision on Foxhunter ride

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Pacha Du Polder (Victoria Pendleton)

Pacha Du Polder and Victoria Pendelton (red sleeves) win at Wincanton

  PICTURE: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)  

 By Peter Scargill 8:00AM 7 MAR 2016 

VICTORIA PENDLETON, the double Olympic gold medallist, will find out on Monday morning if she will be allowed to compete at the Cheltenham Festival next week after a year of ups and downs since she made the switch from cycling to being an amateur jockey.

Since announcing her plans at the start of March last year to retrain as a jockey with the aim of riding in the St James’s Place Foxhunter Chase, Pendleton, 35, has attracted plenty of media attention and scrutiny of her riding and the prospects of fulfilling her ambitious target.

A final decision was set to be made over the weekend involving those who have helped Pendleton on her journey, including representatives from sponsors Betfair, champion jumps trainer Paul Nicholls, trainers Alan and Lawney Hill and jumping expert Yogi Breisner.

Pendleton’s chances of riding appeared to be boosted when she gained an all-important first win since becoming a jockey when romping to victory on her proposed Cheltenham mount Pacha Du Polder at Wincanton last week but, in an example of the twists and turns that have become so common over the past year, the former cycling champion then unseated on her next ride in a point-to-point at the weekend.

Contrasting views

Her technique in the saddle came in for plenty of criticism when she unseated on her first ride under rules at Fakenham last month, and former champion jockey John Francome said: “She wants saving from herself. I’ve never met her, she seems a lovely girl but she can’t ride and she’s an accident waiting to happen.”

However, there has also been support for Pendleton and, speaking on Channel 4 Racing on Saturday, ex-jockey Mick Fitzgerald said: “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.”

Jury positive

Pendleton received plenty of backing to ride at the Festival from the Racing Post’s Monday Jury, with jockey Paul Carberry saying she should “kick on and give it a go” and trainer Jamie Snowden believing her riding at the meeting would be “great for the sport.”

Rider Jake Greenhall added: “I think she has done fantastically well in such a short space of time – if she feels confident then she should take her chance. She’s as good as many other riders who have taken part in the race over the years, so why not?”

Decision time

An annoucement on Pendleton riding at Cheltenham is expected at around 11.30am on Monday when a press conference takes place. Her mount Pacha Du Polder is a eneral 16-1 chance for the Foxhunter Chase.

 

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