Thumping maiden victory leaves Pendleton on track for Cheltenham Festival
Double Olympic cycling champion Victoria Pendleton did her chances of mounting Pacha Du Polder at the Cheltenham Festival no harm at all after completing a comprehensive victory on the 5/4 favourite at Wincanton.
Pendleton set out with the express intention of riding in the St James’s Place Foxhunter Chase at the Cheltenham Festival on Friday 18 March when embarking on a horse racing career just over a year ago.
Having been unseated at the seventh fence on her first start over regulation fences last month, her second ride under National Hunt Rules was anything but a disappointment as she romped home for her first victory as a jockey by 29 lengths.
“It was fantastic. I really just wanted a good round. I wanted to get round on the horse and give him a ride he deserved because he’s Pacha Du Polder and he’s a lovely horse,” said Pendleton.
The 35-year-old’s support team now face the decision of whether to partner Pendleton and Pacha Du Polder at the amateur equivalent of the Cheltenham Gold Cup later this month.
Pendleton added: “I will be doing some point to points [this weekend] and then I’ll see what the experts around me decide and I’ll go with their choice.”