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Having just watched the second race that Victoria P. has taken part in I can only hope
that someone gets a grip and applies some common sense. Fabulous she has taken up riding and can ride
out and enjoys it, amazing she has ridden in a race, but for her to be competitive in
any sense of the word on a racecourse is a very tall order. Today I thought she looked completely
out of her depth, riding to post clinging onto her horses breast plate. Should she end up in the middle of the field she will have no ability to get herself and her horse out of trouble. In the middle of a P2P as she was
riding today she could be involved in a nasty situation, not only for her but for others
around her. I watch with interest if she progresses onto jumps racing.Assuming she progresses and makes it to Cheltenham, which horse do you think Nicholls will line up for Vicky to ride in the Foxhunters?
My guess is that old Rebel Rebellion could be the one. He has jumped around Aintree and all the big tracks and is one of the safest propositions he could offer, plus he’s rated around 150 and would stand half a chance of winning. For Pendo’s sake, it would help that he is quite a straightforward ride – an ‘easy goer’ if you will.
Lots and lots of chat about Victoria’s quest on this thread here, including a few videos of her early progress, schooling, etc.:
http://j4f.activeboard.com/t59762003/victoria-pendleton-riding-in-the-foxhunters/
Pointing fans will probably not have to wait too long once the new season commences to see her in action between the flags, with competitive races at Barbury (a PPORA Novice Riders event) and Larkhill (a Ladies Open) on successive December weekends looking the most obvious initial contests for her.
gc
Adoptive father of two. The patron saint of lower-grade fare. A gently critical friend of point-to-pointing. Kindness is a political act.
Quite amused almost there these comments. Simply we have a natural athlete and also a natural winner who has proven her natural winning ability to show composure in a horserace in which even many of the apprentices would fail to do after a longer period. The girl followed instruction and will obviously find each horse different on a learning journey but be assured she will be succesful whilst you guys ride the keyboard. Keyboard warriors mount . Keyboard warriors mount
Do you ride? I’ve ridden for many years, evented to 3*, ridden work in racing yards and backed National Hunt store horses, advanced dressage and show jumped at Hickstead. So I have a little more ability than just riding a keyboard……
Putting a total novice into a P2P without any real experience of ‘hours in the saddle’ and absolutely no horsemanship skills will tell its own story. She needs to gain a better upper body balance, she will need this.I think an amateurs flat race, a normal PTP is ok but expecting a virtual novice to ride in a big field Foxhunters Chase at the Festival is asking an awful lot of her in such a short space of time.
She will be up against the best amateur jockeys and I doubt they will give her anything like an easy time during the race.
Plenty hopeless ‘jocks’ ridden in the Foxhunters. She’d by no means have been the worst if she makes it.
It reminds me that the seven billion of us on the planet should be grateful that our earliest ancestors had the essential human spirit of adventure, and that such a spirit has continued to this day. Otherwise we would all be hiding in caves (if we existed at all), being scared of what was over that hill or even on the other side of that ocean. It strikes me that Victoria would have been a member of a group, thousands of years ago, who said, “Let’s build a raft to see what’s on the other side of the water, it could be something wonderful.”
My word! How I admire such people.
Watching with interest still, plops off in a flat race, professional people are actually encouraging this farce.
I agree with Marginal Value, beautifully put.
Fair play to Victoria for having a go.
BUY THE SUN
I can’t recall the last time a flat jockey amateur of proffesional just fell off a horse because they lsot their balance.
Yes they have done when the horse jinked or was s pooked but not just falling off.
I just hope she does not get hurt.
She should go back to cycling me thinks. Safer for herTatling, do you ride by any chance? Having a go…..are you serious, this is a dangerous professional sport. Jockeys ride from kids, they can ride, you cannot teach someone to ride and race in this timescale. She will get hurt, worse kill a horse or injure another jockey. Lawney Hill, Yogi Briesner, Victoria Pendleton and any other person receiving financial reward for this need to seriously look at themselves very carefully, this is not a game.
From the BHA website:
“The Stewards held an enquiry into the fall of Ms V L Pendleton, the rider of SATANIC BEAT (IRE), inside the final furlong. They interviewed Ms Pendelton. Having heard their evidence and viewed recordings of the incident the Stewards found that the fall was caused by the gelding taking a false step causing the rider to lose her balance and become unseated. Being satisfied that no other horse or rider was involved the Stewards took no further action.”
Horse takes a false step, drops a shoulder, jockey falls off; no problem. You might want to read the stewards comments about William Buick, Jamie Spencer and Sam Hitchcott on the same day about them apparently riding in a race while half asleep.
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