EVEN the red kites circling the Chilterns know something special is happening.

Appearing from the murky morning mist emerge five horses, slowly making their way from Lawney and Alan Hill’s Woodway Farm stables in Aston Rowant towards an expectant posse of journalists.

Miniscule dots at first, gradually the eyes of a dozen or so people standing at the peak of the grass gallops begin to focus.

This is no normal schooling session.

Victoria Pendleton has been in the spotlight for almost 15 years – since she won one bronze and three silver medals in cycling’s British National Track Championships in 2001.

There followed nine world titles as she dominated her sport for years, culminating in gold and silver at London 2012.

But this is completely different, and Pendleton, who lives in the hamlet of Moreton, near Thame, does not do things by half.

“People must think I am crazy,” the 35-year-old acknowledges with a beaming smile.

“I had just boarded a flight to New Zealand and got an email out of the blue from Betfair, which suggested I embarked on what seemed a crazy challenge to try and go from somebody that had never ridden a horse before, to try and line up with other amateur jockeys at the Cheltenham Festival in the Foxhunters’ Chase.

“The challenge is just ridiculous – audacious. But it wouldn’t have been interesting for me if it wasn’t like that.

“If you’d have asked me to ride in a charity race then it just wouldn’t have had the same feel. I thrive on testing myself as much as possible. And this certainly does that.”

Under the tutelage of the Hills and Yogi Breisner, regarded by many as the leading jockey coach in the world, Pendleton has already made incredible strides.

Oxford Mail:

  • Victoria Pendleton aboard Minella Theatre (right) canter up the gallops alongside Joe Hill on Consigliere

She has ridden four times in public, once in a charity race and three times in Flat contests, but her biggest challenge lies in wait – jumping obstacles at speed, under pressure and in a competitive situation.

The point-to-point season gets under way at the end of the month and there will be plenty of chances to gain vital experience.

As a dozen members of the press wait for the clatter of hooves, Pendleton certainly looks the part.

She pops Minella Theatre over three brush hurdles, and then repeats the process with no alarm.

However, all her strength is needed when she takes the mount on Sedgemoor Express.

Oxford Mail:

  • Victoria Pendleton jumps aboard Sedgemoor Express

The seven-year-old pulls hard to the right when jumping, and the biggest compliment you can pay the jockey is at no time did you feel she was in danger of coming off.

“He’s a rocket that one,” she laughs after pulling up her charge. “Only today a right-handed rocket.

“But that’s the big part of this project, getting to learn about different horses and their characters.

“I have sat on 54 since I started, and no two are the same. It’s just a case of knowing how to make them do what you want, and not what they want – although at times that’s easier said than done.”

You do not have to spend long in Pendleton’s company to understand her ferocious drive and will to win.

It is clear no stone will be left unturned in her bid to make the start line at Cheltenham next March.

“You have to have an unbelievable level of dedication to achieve things in sport,” she said.

“I would like to think I’ve got that. And this is no different. You have to want to do it every day – and I do.

Oxford Mail:

  • Victoria Pendleton being interviewed by Mark Edwards

“Obviously trying to win Olympic gold medals was a big challenge.

“But the biggest part of this is that I have been forced to start as a complete novice at the very bottom of the ladder.

“That doesn’t scare me at all though. You can only start from where you are, not from where you’d like to be.

“I know all the best things take time, perseverance and dedication, so hopefully one day I might be a decent rider – but it will take time.”

She adds: “Ever since my first lesson, I have been so excited about the whole thing.

“Alan and Lawney have been tremendously welcoming from the very start, and the fact they had experience of taking on novice riders was massive for me – it just felt like the stars were aligning in some way.

“But ultimately if I don’t qualify this year, it doesn’t mean I won’t stop trying.

“When it’s over, I am not going to stop riding. I have told Lawney I want to come back as a work rider here – and before you know it I’ll have a couple of horses here too.

“I begged Father Christmas for a pony when I was a child, but my parents never let me have one.

“But now I am having the most fun ever.”

If she makes it to Cheltenham, expect many more birds in the sky as the tapes go up.

‘To follow Victoria’s journey with Betfair visit www.switchingsaddles.com and support her on Twitter using #SwitchingSaddles’