Olympian unseated as dream victory fails to unfold at Larkhill

The scene is set fair, with the wide-open expanses of Salisbury Plain bathed in winter sunshine and the added attraction of dual Olympic gold medallist Victoria Pendleton making her debut on new horse Vesperal Dream in the ladies' open at Larkhill point-to-point.

Last season, Pendleton was frequently in the national headlines after swapping a bike saddle for a larger version. She won a hunter chase at Wincanton before a very creditable fifth in the Foxhunter Chase at the Cheltenham Festival on Pacha Du Polder. But she has yet to win between the flags. Maybe today's the day.

This time around Pendleton is standing on her own two feet – gone are Betfair's big bucks’ sponsorship and the firm’s Barry Orr serving as her batman at the racecourse, but still in place is equine mentor Alan Hill, with whom Vesperal Dream is stabled after being claimed in the summer.