• Olympic champion narrowly misses out in thrilling finish
• Amateur rider starts on road to the Cheltenham FestivalThe buzz that keeps jockeys hooked and drags them from their beds to ride work every morning radiated from Victoria Pendleton here on Monday after she had finished a close second on her first ride as a fully fledged jockey. It was there in a succession of post-race interviews too,after a debut performance as an amateur rider that had surpassed all expectations. Pendleton’s grand dream of riding in the Foxhunter Chase at Cheltenham’s Festival meeting in March is not just alive. It is starting to set down roots.
It was just one race and far removed from the danger and uncertainty of jumping fences in the cauldron of Cheltenham. Pendleton, though, and showed a rare presence of intellect for such an inexperienced jockey aboard her mount Royal Etiquette,as she switched from her initial method to sit off the pace when the first two furlongs were run at a crawl. And whether method B ultimately failed by a head behind a 33-1 chance, it was not for any lack of assistance from the saddle in the closing stages. Royal Etiquette ran well beyond his price of 14-1, and thanks at least in piece to the ride he received.
Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com