Fringe claims Foxhunter again

On The Fringe retained his crown with a hard-fought success in the St James's Place Foxhunter Chase at Cheltenham.

Enda Bolger's top hunter chaser won by 17 lengths last year and was a well-backed 13-8 favourite to follow up, but needed all of Nina Carberry's skills in the saddle to oblige.

He got close enough to challenge for the lead approaching the last before sticking on well up the hill to see off Marito by a neck.

Victoria Pendleton exceeded all expectations by finishing fifth on Pacha Du Polder.

Pendleton gave the Paul Nicholls-trained nine-year-old a very patient ride and was stone last for the first mile.

As the race began to evolve, Pendleton, a double Olympic cycling champion, began to move through the field with style.

Dependable in the jumping department, Pacha Du Polder was making lengths at some fences and turning into the straight Pendleton still had plenty of horses in front of her, but stayed on strongly to complete an afternoon to remember.

Pendleton, whose mount earned £936 in prize-money for fifth, said: "I can't believe how nice the crowd has been, I'd like to thank Alan and Lawney Hill, Andy Stewart (owner) and Paul Nicholls, they've made this all possible. I feel honoured to have been given this opportunity.

"It's right up there with everything I've ever done, it's such a rush. Thank you to all the jockeys that have been involved today, they've all been so nice and I feel really lucky. I think it's one of the greatest achievements of my life, a special achievement."

Carberry said of her winning ride: "I'm so happy, I didn't think I had a chance turning in but he winged the last and he's always there for you. I was expecting a better gallop so I could use his jumping a bit more. I missed the third-last and lost a few lengths and thought my chance had gone, but I winged the last two.

"He loves the spring ground, it brings out the best in him, it's a dream come true. Enda is unreal at getting them to peak for the big day. Well done to them and I'm just delighted to get to ride him."

Bolger said: "It's exciting to go back-to-back in this but it's a race in which we had a little bit of everything. Clapping Victoria on the way back as well as Nina - it was a fantastic performance by both women.

"He hadn't run since Punchestown in April when he came back to the track and as he done very well in his spell at JP's (McManus) place, he was burly and needed the race. We had him ready today to pull out all the stops and we are on cloud nine again.

"I thought Victoria's performance was second to none."