NO PENDLETON COPYCATS

CHELTENHAM will demand a greater level of experience from amateur jockeys riding at next year’s Festival after changes prompted in part by cyclist Victoria Pendleton’s participation there in 2016. The Olympic track cycling gold medallist finished fifth on Pacha Du Polder in the Foxhunter Chase in only her third race over fences on a proper racecourse. Pendleton, who was completing a 13-month challenge funded by gambling exchange Betfair to transform from beginner to Festival jockey, had also taken part in 14 point-to-points. But from the 2018 Festival, amateur jockeys who compete in the Foxhunter Chase and Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Handicap Chase will be required to have completed at least 15 racecourse rides, the majority over obstacles. Alternatively, they must have 20 or more completed rides in point-to-points. Simon Claisse, Cheltenham’s head of racing, said: ‘It makes a lot of sense around risk assessment that we make sure amateurs riding at the Festival have sufficient experience. I am in awe of what Victoria Pendleton achieved in such a period of time but what the experience showed was that the qualification criteria for the Category A licence under which she rode was not at a level we felt comfortable with in terms of risk in a championship event.’ Rider criteria for taking part in the amateurs’ four-mile National Hunt Chase, in which novice horses compete, were already at the higher level.