popsdosh
Well-Known Member
There is a very good chance that will not have turned out to be her biggest challenge this season just watch this space!!!! The owner of the horse is very keen on something bigger and is pushing for it to happen!!!
Victoria Pendleton to train as a jockey
- Thread starter Dobiegirl
- Start date
There is a very good chance that will not have turned out to be her biggest challenge this season just watch this space!!!! The owner of the horse is very keen on something bigger and is pushing for it to happen!!!
luckyoldme
Well-Known Member
I cant believe how much she has achieved in one year. Amazing.
Spilletta
Well-Known Member
Sounds exciting!
AdorableAlice
Well-Known Member
Surely not the National ?
Elf On A Shelf
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It won't be the National - they have very, very strict jockey and horse criteria for that. But more than likely the Foxhunters over the big fences instead yes. I did think that that would be on the cards for the horse at the very least. But I hope they give VP a hell of a lot more schooling before attempting that! I also hope that the BHA would think about asking her to come and prove her worth over the fences in a private schooling session before letting her out in public over them.
Chase fences are one thing. Bechers Brook and The Chair are another entirely!
Chase fences are one thing. Bechers Brook and The Chair are another entirely!
*Whinney*
Well-Known Member
Haha, no Chiffy, I've never followed racing. I was off work sick on Tues/Wed and just happened to be on C4 and saw The Morning Line on the first day and that got me hooked watching. I was lurking on the Cheltenham threads here and I saw in yesterday's thread that VP was riding today, so went and read the other thread and then watched the whole thing with my heart in my mouth.
I wasn't bothered with her ability as such but wanted her get round without a bad fall. I ended up on the edge of my seat willing her and the horse over every fence and when she asked him to go and he did I was blown away.
I'm pretty sure I might be 'sick' this time next year too. You lot are a bad influence as I'm hooked!
Very, very sad about the deaths of course but I'm a sentimental realist.
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popsdosh
Well-Known Member
Close!!
The owner was talking about the Aintree Foxhunters however theres a hurdle to be overcome first. The horse is entered though!
I never doubted that with that team she was never going to be able to make a fool of herself they would not have let it happen . In fact I owe her a very large drink as I managed to get a few quid on at 50/1 about her completing one circuit placed when the announcement was made. At the time I questioned whether the odds were generous enough. LOL
We should all celebrate as she has truely caught the horse bug as many of us suffer from.
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HashRouge
Well-Known Member
It will be the Foxhunters Chase BUT she can't ride in it under the current rules, or that's what I've understood http://www.theguardian.com/sport/20...ton-fifth-foxhunter-chase-cheltenham-festival
bonny
Well-Known Member
She isn't eligible but I have a feeling that the rules might be bent !
popsdosh
Well-Known Member
The other way is if another couple of rides under rules were conjured up in the near future which would probably look better.
bonny
Well-Known Member
She needs to do a course which there isn't time for but I'm thinking they will stretch the rules for her...
HashRouge
Well-Known Member
Yes I hope that's what they do. I'd really like to see her ride at Aintree, but I don't think it's fair to change the rules just for her. She seems like she has the dedication to do it though!
bonny
Well-Known Member
Fairness doesn't really come into it and lets face it, it's not like anyone else is in her situation. They can make up their own rules as they go along and if the powers that be want her to ride at Aintree then she will !
stencilface
High upon a hillside
Just catching up on this, well done VP! What an achievement.
Hopefully I can catch the race online somewhere?
Hopefully I can catch the race online somewhere?
Spilletta
Well-Known Member
I'm not sure she'd want any rules bent/stretched for her would she?
bonny
Well-Known Member
Why no ? If she wants to ride at Aintree and I don't know if she does but the horse is entered then why would she mind ? She's hardly a "normal jockey" and lots of things are different for her than for others.
MyBoyChe
Well-Known Member
I was one of the doubters, totally from a safety point of view. I thought she rode a really good race. On a horse not guaranteed to stay she stuck to the inside, a brave thing to do as it limits your options for avoiding trouble, she rode him sympathetically, let him take the lead over the fences and rode a good finish. I think the improvement in her style has improved massively in the last month, she looked much less like a passenger today although she had the sense not to interfere with him too much. I have huge admiration for her, she showed huge courage and guts and has handled herself very well. Im really happy to be proved wrong 
WandaMare
Well-Known Member
Amazing achievement today, she's one brave lady....good luck to her with whatever she chooses to do next
Elf On A Shelf
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They have already bent enough rules for her, why not bend a few more? But as I have said. I hope they trial her over the fences before putting her in a racing situation over them.
ETA - just catching up on all the flumf from today and it would appear they bent another rule at Cheltenham today - allowing 5th place to go back into the paddock to unsaddle! First 4 go back in, the others sneak out the back back to the stables!
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AdorableAlice
Well-Known Member
What rules would have been bent for her ?
bonny
Well-Known Member
I'm not sure that any rules have been bent for her and frankly the whole "amateur" scene is so professional that it doesn't seem to matter any more. If she wants to ride at Aintree then I see no reason why she shouldn't ?
Sandstone1
Well-Known Member
I think she's done really well and she is a very brave lady. However I would be very worried for her, the horse and the other jockeys if she were to be allowed to ride at Aintree.
I watched the race today and she did really well. She had a horse that looked after het though and there were times I thought she looked decidedly unbalanced.
She was lucky enough to stay out of trouble, but would she cope at Aintree?
I watched the race today and she did really well. She had a horse that looked after het though and there were times I thought she looked decidedly unbalanced.
She was lucky enough to stay out of trouble, but would she cope at Aintree?
bonny
Well-Known Member
I think that's what a lot of people said about her riding at Cheltenham and I think you'll find she proved everybody wrong ! Time to change the tune.....
teapot
Well-Known Member
All of Cheltenham's races are viewable here http://www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/video/
Elf On A Shelf
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Sponsorship money is one that is a definite. Amateurs aren't supposed to receive more than a certain amount a season to help them buy kit. I think it is £1000 and she is being paid way way more than that.
Amateurs also don't get paid to ride in races. Well not openly. A token gesture/back hander from the owner so long as it isn't labelled as an official payment. VP has been paid £200k. I think this is for the whole year not just the rides she has done.
She hasn't breached any rules that would prevent her from riding at Cheltenham. There are none for the jockeys in that race just the horses.
There was a big ho-ha in the Racing Post about it the other week. Again mostly jealous amateurs that haven't been given the opportunity she has.
Basically what has gone on has been in the public eye which is why there has been a ruckus. All this flumf normally goes on in the ptp scene but it is done with a nod, a wink and a code of silence.
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popsdosh
Well-Known Member
They said it was done as it was easier to control the press attention that was there . They felt it may have been a little dangerous to allow to much attention in the area with all the other runners unsaddling .
To be fair she actually made a point of going to say well done to Nina when she went in to the winners enclosure.
Elf On A Shelf
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I totally agree with them on that as it's easier to deal with 5 horses and hundreds of people than it is to deal with 20, horses and hundreds of people! At least she was 5th to come back in and not a tailed off last/PU coming back in.
Sandstone1
Well-Known Member
It's not a tune, it's my opinion. Are the fences at Aintree not a lot bigger and more solid?
Do you really think she would cope if the were loose horses and fallers around her.
I'm not saying she's not done very well and I admire her, but is it safe and fair for someone with so little experience to ride at Aintree?
It's not in my opinion, however, as I said it's only my opinion.
bonny
Well-Known Member
No the fences at Aintree nowadays are certainly not more solid! She would be fine, the horse has jumped round there before and she's proved she can handle the occasion etc today. I see no reason at all for her not going to Aintree as long as they let her in !
popsdosh
Well-Known Member
Its nothing new ,I have a very good friend who was champion amateur rider two years running back in the 70s he said he earned a lot more then than when he turned pro!