Victoria Pendleton relishing obstacles
Thursday 1 October 2015 15:12, UK
Victoria Pendleton will be teaming up with Sedgemoor Express and According To Sarah during the point-to-point season as she continues to pursue her dream of riding at the Cheltenham Festival.
The 35-year-old Olympic cycling star announced earlier this year that she was targeting a ride in the Foxhunters' Chase at the Festival next March as part of her 'Switching Saddles' challenge with Betfair.
Having spent the summer working diligently with trainer Lawney Hill and her husband Alan, a leading figure in the point-to-point world, Pendleton has ridden in two amateur Flat events in recent weeks - going close to winning at Ripon - but will now start to turn her attention to racing over obstacles.
Both Sedgemoor Express and According To Sarah are both in the care of Alan Hill, with the first-named having been previously trained by Nigel Hawke to win six times so far.
According to Sarah, who was twice a winner for Philip Hobbs, has also been recruited Hill's team, with the pair both racing in the colours of the Betfair Racing Club.
Champion trainer Paul Nicholls has also confirmed his commitment to Pendleton and Betfair by offering Join Together as another horse for her to ride in her bid to compete at Cheltenham 2016.
Pendleton said: "I am really excited about getting to know Sedgemoor Express and According to Sarah and hopefully we can give the Betfair Racing Club a lot of fun in the upcoming point-to-point season.
"Since I first started on this journey with Betfair, Lawney and Alan Hill and Yogi Breisner, I've ridden a variety of horses, the ride that Mighty Mambo gave me in the charity race at Newbury will always be a special memory, similarly the rush of adrenaline I felt after finishing second on Royal Etiquette on my debut under Rules at Ripon was an incredible feeling.
"I'm very lucky that I ride out at Woodway Farm under Lawney and Alan's expert guidance as it allows me to ride a wide variety of horses, something I realise is a key if I am to progress in this incredibly demanding and ambitious challenge," she told www.betfair.com.
