Victoria Pendleton fall: Ambition dented by spill in first chase outing for Olympian

Victoria Pendleton hopes that her dream of taking part in the Foxhunter Chase at Cheltenham next month is still alive, despite being unseated from her intended Festival mount, the odds-on favourite Pacha Du Polder, on her first ride under rules in a minor event at Fakenham.

The 35-year-old former sprint cycling champion, winner of two Olympic gold medals and nine world titles, remained remarkably upbeat after being dislodged at the seventh fence alongside her rival Carey Williamson on Baltic Blue.

Pendleton soon emerged smiling from her fall, but there was no hiding her frustration. “Physically I’m fine, but my ego is bruised,” she told a media scrum so large Fakenham had hired a portable building for the occasion. “Lots of people were watching and my mum’s here – of course it’s disappointing.

“I’m just really annoyed. I didn’t have a chance to stay on. The horse in front jumped a bit squiffy and I went out the side door. Pacha Du Polder is such a fabulous horse and I didn’t give him a fair shot.”

Twitter critics were quick to condemn Pendleton for what appeared from the stands and on television to be a soft unseat and, though one can only admire the bravery and tenacity of a woman who at this time last year had not even had her first riding lesson, she will, if she makes it to Cheltenham, be lining up against 23 mainly hard-nosed amateur riders, most of a professional standard, giving no quarter.

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The decision will not be hers. Her participation was always on the understanding that she did enough to convince her “team” – trainers Paul Nicholls and Lawney Hill and riding teacher Yogi Breisner – that she is up to it.

“I hope Cheltenham is still the plan,” said Pendleton. “Hopefully, I’ll get another opportunity to sit on him and get as many rides in as possible between now and then.

“I appreciate this is what happens and it was going to happen sooner or later. I’ve had a good run; I’ve not had a fall until now really. But it won’t put me off. I absolutely love riding horses and I’d love to be a work rider until the end of my days, maybe get a couple of horses myself and do some pointing.”

Friday's blip will not have helped the enterprise – Nicholls said before the race that this was a “key stage” and the race a “prime opportunity”. He told the Racing Post: “We want to see a nice competent performance from both of them if they’re going to go to Cheltenham. None of us want to see any disasters because it would put us all on the back foot.”

Excelling in more than one sport is rare, but bu no means unique. The legendary Jim Thorpe played American football, baseball and basketball professionally after winning two gold medals at the 1912 Olympics, while Denis Compton, a Test cricket hero for 20 years, also helped Arsenal win the league and FA Cup. More recently, Rebecca Romero has won world championships in cycling and rowing.