Skip to content

Victoria Pendleton rides in first hunter chase on Friday

Victoria Pendleton and Pacha Du Polder head round the parade ring before competing in The AGA Ladies' Open Race
Image: Victoria Pendleton and Pacha Du Polder: Reunite at Fakenham on Friday

Victoria Pendleton is set to make her hunter chase debut on Pacha Du Polder at Fakenham on February 19.

Competing over fences under Rules is the next step for the Olympic cycling champion whose ambition is to ride in the St James's Place Foxhunter Chase at the Cheltenham Festival next month.

She has already gained experience riding on the Flat and in point-to-points and is now gearing up towards reaching her goal.

Pendleton went very close to winning a point-to-point on Pacha Du Polder recently, when the horse was with Chloe Roddick.

The nine-year-old, who was runner-up in the Crabbie's Fox Hunters' Chase over the Grand National course at Aintree last season, is now back with Paul Nicholls, who will give the partnership the chance to shine in the William Bulwer-Long Memorial "Grassroots" Fox Hunters' Chase.

He told Betfair: "Fakenham is the logical target after their excellent debut together when they failed by inches to land a point-to-point at Milborne St Andrew on January 31.

"It is important for Victoria to gain experience in a hunter chase before considering a tilt at the ultimate challenge of riding in the St James's Place Foxhunter Chase at Cheltenham in March.

Also See:

"The race over three miles at Fakenham, an easy track, looks ideal and comes at a perfect time before Cheltenham.

"Pacha Du Polder is a very classy chaser, a brilliant jumper, travels well in his races, has smart form over Aintree's National fences and showed he stayed three miles at Milborne St Andrew.

"Frankly, the improvement Victoria has made since she began this odyssey is phenomenal and she now looks the part when she comes down to Ditcheat to ride on our gallops.

"Should Victoria reach Cheltenham, her and Pacha Du Polder are more than capable of finishing in the first six."

Sky Tickets: Racing

Fast, secure racing tickets: Exclusive racing offers near you

Officials at Fakenham expressed delight at the news Pendleton will be in action at the Norfolk circuit. "It's brilliant news. It would be fantastic to help and be part of her incredible journey to getting to Cheltenham," said clerk of the course David Hunter. "We're very proud of our link with the hunter chase and point-to-point fraternity. "This would be a great occasion for Fakenham and we will make sure we will look after her in true Fakenham traditional and rather eccentric style and in a professional manner. "I wish them luck and hope it all comes together. It would be great to see her. "The meeting is in half-term. It's always a good day for us and has been very popular for some years. I'm sure people will come wishing to support Victoria in her quest. "It's not every day that an Olympic gold medallist comes to as racecourse so we are really pleased. "It's great that her first ride over fences under Rules will be at Fakenham. It will be jolly nice to see how she gets on. "Hopefully it will be a competitive race and that her fellow jockeys will also enjoy the occasion."

Around Sky