Victoria Pendleton debuts as amateur jockey

Victoria Pendleton completed her switch from the cycling saddle to the horse variety, in her racing debut as an amateur jockey.

Pendleton, a two-time Olympic gold medallist on the cycling track, steered Mighty Mambo to an eighth-place finish in the 2600-metre George Frewer Charity Race at Newbury on Thursday.

The 34-year-old, who hung up the bike in 2012 and picked up the whip in March, was her own harshest critic of her first competitive ride.

"I loved it," Pendleton said, as reported by the BBC.

"I'm actually slightly cross with myself in the way I started the race."

Pendleton is targeting a ride at the Foxhunter Chase at the 2016 Cheltenham Festival.