DOUBLE Olympic champion Victoria Pendleton was agonisingly denied a fairytale victory on her first ride as a fully-fledged amateur jockey at Ripon.

Despite being a total novice in the saddle, the dual Olympic gold medal-winning cyclist announced in March she was training to become a jockey, with the long-term aim of competing in the Foxhunter Chase at next year's Cheltenham Festival.

Pendleton, 34, made her racecourse debut in a charity event at Newbury in early July, when down the field aboard Mighty Mambo, and having since been awarded her 'Category A' licence, she headed to North Yorkshire to partner the Lawney Hill-trained Royal Etiquette in the 13-runner Betfair Novice Flat Amateur Riders' Handicap.

The 14-1 shot was slowly away, coming out of the stalls last of all, but swiftly made up ground down the outside of the field to track the pacesetting Chocolate Diamond.

The pair rounded the home turn well clear of the remainder and when Chocolate Diamond began to falter, Pendleton pushed Royal Etiquette to the front.

The chasing pack closed up in the final furlong, but Royal Etiquette refused to go down without a fight.

However, he was eventually just run out of it by 33-1 chance Jordaura.

Hill said: "I'm over the moon, because the race didn't go to plan at all.

"They didn't go a fast gallop so she was up there with them, he went to the front, which we didn't want him to do until later on in the race, but he really enjoyed it and this is what she is so good at - she switched to plan B on her first ride. Most people can't do that after 50 rides.

"She kept him going, she never gave up and was absolutely brilliant. A judge of pace - she looked like she'd done it before.

"The first thing she said was 'sorry I didn't win', that's because she's a perfectionist, but look at how well we've done today.

"I've been saying for a long time now this isn't just a stunt, it's a serious challenge."

Pendleton said: "I had to switch to plan B too quickly. I tried to keep a hold of him, because I was told that if he hit the front before the three-furlong marker he would hold his hands up as if he'd done enough.

"I was pushing with everything I had and lost my balance a bit on the undulations, which was frustrating, and I ended up just shouting at him to keep him going.

"I knew it was going to hurt, but I was just so happy. I was so proud of him, he exceeded all our expectations and he will get some Polos tonight!

"It's given me confidence and I feel blessed to have been given this chance, I feel like a real jockey.

"I don't know when the next race will be, but riding on the Flat is allowing me to hone my skills.

"I am absolutely delighted to be placed and Ripon will always hold a special place in my heart.

"I genuinely didn't think it was possible when this idea was mentioned, and if you had told me six months and six days ago, which was the first time I sat on a horse, that I would be here I wouldn't have believed it.

"There have been so many challenges along the way and it's amazing how much I have learned.

"It's been a fantastic experience so far. I had an amazing cycling career, but riding a horse is so much fun. My family keep having to tell me to shut up I talk about it so much."

Hill added: "As she is so fit, she was able to keep him going, it's a really long straight here and the last three furlongs must have felt like forever. But she didn't stand out from the rest (that it was her first ride).

"Normally they go flat-out in these races and I thought she would be able to drop in, but she has such a professional mindset she didn't lose her cool.

"As for what is next, myself, Alan (Hill), Yogi (Breisner) and Barry Orr from Betfair will have a chat, because she needs to go point-to-pointing but they don't start until November.

"She may ride on the Flat again in a similar race."