Victoria Pendleton takes a tumble at Fakenham

Riding the Paul Nichols-trained Pacha Du Polder, Pendleton was knocked off her mount by Baltic Blue who slightly jumped to the right after blundering at the start of the second circuit.

It was an unfortunate end for the 35-year-old, who had ridden the horse patiently around the first circuit of the Norfolk course during the Betfair Switching Saddles ‘Grassroots’ Fox Hunters Chase.

The race, which attracted huge media attention, was eventually won by Vascu Du Mee.

Pendleton – Great Britain’s most successful woman Olympian of all time – still holds designs of competing at this year’s Cheltenham Festival in just under a month.