Barbury Point-to-Point sees Victoria Pendleton closing on her ambition for a Cheltenham Festival ride
Double Olympic cycling champion Victoria Pendleton took another step on her 'changing saddles' challenge in her second point-to-point ride at the Point-to-Point Owners and Riders Association meeting at a very wet Barbury Racecourse on Sunday (December 6.)
She rode According to Sarah in the AGA Ladies Open race. One experienced racing correspondent tweeted that she was 'comfortable and in control' and later wrote she was 'growing in confidence'.
But after coming up to join the leaders, the seven-year-old mare tired and Victoria pulled her up two fences from home.
In October she came off during a flat race at Newbury - and was none the worse for her fall. Last month she rode her first race over jumps at the Black Forest Lodge point-to-point in Devon. Again she pulled up before the second to last fence.
Victoria Pendelton's challenge is being sponsored by Betfair and she has been schooling with Betfair Ambassador Paul Nicholls' horses. Last Thursday Nicholls reported that he was nearly rundown and she nearly came unstuck when Ceasar Milan decided not to take a jump during schooling at Nicholls' yard.
Victoria Pendleton may be riding next Sunday (December 13) at the Hursley Hambledon point-to-point at Larkhill.