John Francome has "never been more happy to be wrong" after seeing Victoria Pendleton finish fifth in the St James's Place Foxhunter Chase at Cheltenham on Friday.
The double Olympic cycling champion was beaten less than three lengths aboard Pacha Du Polder as the finale to her Betfair-backed 'switching saddles' challenge, which saw her progress from a complete novice rider last March to lining up in the amateurs' Gold Cup this year.
Pendleton's quest attracted criticism from some quarters, with former champion jockey John Francome saying she was "an accident waiting to happen" and needed "saving from herself".
However, after seeing her safely negotiate 22 fences at Prestbury Park and finish just behind such experienced riders as Nina Carberry and Sam Waley-Cohen, Francome offered his congratulations to Pendleton.
He said: "Well done to her, it was a great effort and I've never been more happy to be wrong. She did a great job and she had a fantastic horse to ride."
