Queen attends Kentucky Derby

The Queen has fulfilled a long time ambition to watch the Kentucky Derby.

Finally, at the age of 81, the royal horse enthusiast stood looking out across the twin-spired Churchill Downs course in Louisville, as a full field of 20 thoroughbreds thundered around the circular dirt track.

She watched Street Sense, the favourite, gallop past the finishing post to become the 100th Kentucky-bred Derby winner of the "Run for the Roses".

The Queen, a regular at Epsom, has always dreamed of attending the Derby.

She has been to the blue grass horse state of Kentucky four times before, but never made it to the famous American flat race until now, while on a private weekend midway through her state visit to the US.

She watched the big race from the balcony of the plush Stakes Room suite on the stands' fourth floor, known as Millionaire's Row.

Next to her were her close friends Sarah and William Farish who is a horse breeder and the former US ambassador to Britain. On the other side of the Queen was the Duke of Edinburgh.

© Independent Television News Limited 2007. All rights reserved.

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