Cycle champ Victoria Pendleton switches saddles to enter Cheltenham 2016
Double Olympic gold medal winner Victoria Pendleton has announced that she is seeking out a fresh challenge after switching saddles to train as a jockey for Cheltenham 2016.
To give the nine times World Champion a headstart Betfair have teamed up with her to offer an expert team to guide Pendleton over the finish line; including Champion Jockey Paul Nicholls and Team GB Eventing Performance Manager, Yogi Breisner.
The unorthodox switch is intended to drum up interest in the sport and event by offering an entertaining alternative perspective on the sport which will see the Olympian fast tracked from novice to a category A amateur license within just 12 months.
Pendletonsaid: “When Betfair approached me about the opportunity to train to become a licensed amateur jockey, it captured my imagination. I’m motivated by the scale of the challenge and the opportunity to combine my love of horses with learning a new skill under the guidance of the team of horse-racing experts Betfair has put in place for me.”
Mark Ody, brand director, Betfair, added: “Betfair is proud to be partnering with Victoria Pendleton for this ground breaking challenge. With her commitment to training and elite performance, Victoria will increase the visibility into the amazing feats of jockeys and provide an entertaining perspective on horse racing.”
Fans are being encouraged to follow Pendleton’s progress on Twitter using the #SwitchingSaddles hashtag and website.
The campaign was developed by Pitch.