Pendleton

Might have won with Nina aboard.

Might have won with anyone who'd have tried on board. 3f out, I was expecting for her to move a muscle, she didn't, still travelling very well 2f out a bit too far now whats going on move a damn muscle, 1f out still sitting on him like she didn't knew it was the finish only that every other jockey was working their ass off, 50 yards to go she finally moves but instead of going on the outside she goes between horses and was too late. Definition of a non-trier but with a willing horse.

No access to her whip apparently !

Crossed the line as if it has just joined in after the last.

Haters moving the goalposts now.

She was an embarrassment to racing.

She was going to fall off

She was going to get in the way of proper jockeys

She was (stamping their rinky-dink size fives in a proper strop now)...well...taking someone elses place!


She went out there on a potential non-stayer, rode a race many would be proud of and, in a week where 6 horses died, gave racing a great shot in the arm, conducting herself with professionalism yet still conveying the passion and sheer enjoyment this place can generate in people open minded enough to let it.

Personally, I think having a second-string rock up and win the Champion Hurdle and a horse that's 80% fit win the Ryanair, after punters had been put away good and proper by it's ego-maniac owner, does racing far more harm, but then a lot of people won money off that - so that's okay then.

I'm sorry

90% fit

I honestly don't know how I feel about the whole Pendleton thing. I was there for her race at Ripon and cheered her on like most even though I didn't actually back her, but on Friday when she came back into the parade ring it left a bad taste in the mouth seeing the media scramble around and everyone in her group acting as though she'd won the GC. Luckily the cheers when she came in were nothing compared to the roar that greeted Ninas return, which restored my faith in humanity somewhat. But still... If she sticks at it and is still riding in 5 years time then fair play, but i've had a worry all along that this has been little more than one big filming sessions for a documentary which is why they were so keen for her Cheltenham appearance to happen this season.

rogerthebutler - very well said sir

She gave the horse the same ride as John Thorne gave Spartan Mjssile in Aldaniti's National. Competent, brave, balanced and considerate to the horse.  A pro. would have won the National and Nina would have won on Pendleton's, imo.

Well said Roger

Yes well said Roger. Hope a few more will follow Francome's suit and apologise for getting it so wrong.

What irks me slightly is that some people are not giving her any credit for the ride. The horse put in quite a few slow/steady leaps but she never panicked. She seemed to transmit a sense of calm to the horse. Wind back a couple of weeks and people were making the obvious point that she was on a non stayer and yet those same people seem unable to make the mental leap to acknowledging that the horse stayed as well as it did because of how she rode it. Perfectly balanced, saving every yard and switching the horse off superbly.

Would Nina or any other amateur jockey have won on the horse?

No one can answer for sure but my strong feeling is no they wouldn't. They would almost certainly have sought to get the horse competitive earlier and it would in my view have emptied up the straight.

that just sounds like any other jockey would have tried to win

As I said before the festival total borefest and taking column inches and tv time that should be dedicated to the gold cup.

100 X better than watching  jockeys in go karts ffs  !!