Cheltenham Festival 2016

Victoria Pendleton has finished fifth in the in the St James's Place Foxhunter Chase riding Somerset trained, Pacha Du Polder.

The olympian's journey from track cyclist to jockey is one of the most remarkable sporting stories of the year.

12 months ago Pendleton had never ridden a race horse, and now's she's finished 5th at one of the world's most prestigious races.

Dorset's Cue Card has fallen during the Cheltenham Gold Cup, losing out on a £1million bonus.

He was one of the leading fancies for the blue riband event.

He's trained by Colin Tizzard at his stables at Milborne Port on the Dorset & Somerset border.

The race was won by Don Cossack ridden by jockey Bryan Cooper.

The olympian's journey from track cyclist to jockey is one of the most remarkable sporting stories of the year.

12 months ago Victoria Pendleton had never ridden a race horse, and now she will be competing at one of the world's most prestigious races.

She'll be riding Pacha Du Polder in the St James's Place Foxhunter Chase which gets underway at 4.10pm this afternoon. It's one of the most competitive amateur races of the year with 24 runners.

In her corner is the very experienced trainer, Paul Nicholls, who's given the 35 year-old the green light to compete. She also rides Pacha Du Polder, a strong horse which only lost last year's chase by three and three-quarter lengths.

Two drunk men were arrested at Cheltenham Festival last night after a golf buggy was stolen from the racecourse.

One man, 25, from Gloucester, and another, 22,from Longhope were picked up by officers at around 9.20pm.

It was one of several arrests at Cheltenham Festival, as race-goers descended on the town to celebrate.

In a few hours time gates will open for the third day of this year's Cheltenham Festival and it's St Patrick's Day.

They’ll be plenty of Guinness available on tap and performances from Irelands very own ‘The Dublin Legends’, as well as all the action on the course, including the two big races the World Hurdle and the Ryanair Chase.

ST PATRICK'S DAY PROCEEDINGS (THURSDAY)

• 13.30 The JLT Novices’ Chase
• 14.10 The Pertemps Network Final
• 14.50 The Ryanair Steeple Chase
• 15.30 The Ryanair World Hurdle
• 16.10 The Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate
• 16.50 The Trull House Stud Mares Novices’ Hurdle
• 17.30 The Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Handicap Steeple Chase (0-145)

Somerset trainer Paul Nicholls wins 4.50pm race, the G3 Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle with Diego du Charmil risen by Gloucestershire jockey Sam Twiston-Davies.

It was a narrow victory with two contenders falling at the final hurdle.

It's the second victory of the day for the Twiston-Davies family, father Nigel trained the winner of the RSA Chase, Blaklion.