EPSOM, United Kingdom: Racegoers reveled in the sunshine yesterday as Queen Elizabeth got her diamond jubilee party under starter’s orders with a day at the races.

Rapturous punters cheered and waved to the 86-year-old sovereign, an avid horse racing fan, as she arrived at the Epsom Derby dressed in royal blue to start four days of celebrations for her 60 years on the throne.

Racegoers in top hats and tailcoats packed the grandstands at the Epsom Downs racecourse, southwest of London, while regular punters joined in the fun, waving flags.

Celebrations began with a parachute jump display, in which members of the army’s “Red Devils” team spun giant Union Jacks before landing on the turf, with others streaming smoke as they twirled through the sky.

The 86-year-old monarch and husband Prince Philip, 90, waved to the crowds as they were driven down the home straight before mezzo-soprano Katherine Jenkins sang the national anthem, rounded off with another huge cheer.

The monarch smiled broadly as her consort waved his top hat to the crowds of more than 100,000.

Gazebos were covered in bunting, while food stalls did a roaring trade and music blared out as people whizzed through the air at a funfair.

Pincy Bryant, 43, was dressed to the nines in Union Jack regalia: A waistcoat, bow tie, braces and even heart-shaped sunglasses.

“I did have the hat but it blew away,” he lamented.

But this could not diminish the excitement of seeing the queen.

“It’s a special day for all of us. She is one in a million. God save the queen!” the truck driver said. The Derby, Britain’s richest horse race, was the showpiece of seven races which took place yesterday at Epsom. The blue riband event, often described as the world’s greatest flat race, was won by red-hot favorite Camelot.

The queen, a respected horse breeder and owner, is a Derby regular, loves flat racing and reads the Racing Post newspaper every morning.

Despite her age, the sovereign is still a regular rider.

Epsom racecourse chairman Anthony Cane said: “She’s incredibly knowledgeable. Her knowledge of thoroughbreds and breeding goes way back. She’s absolutely amazing.”

In the Queen’s Stand — topped with the Union Flag and the Royal Standard — the royal box was decked out with garlands and members of the royal family popped out to watch the races.

Bookmaker Diane Barrett stood holding a fistful of notes as punters studied the prices.

“You just need the sun to come out and give it that spark in the atmosphere,” she said.

“The atmosphere is electric once the horses come round the corner. It’s one of those where you just hold your breath.

“It’s a very special year. It’s never going to be like this again.”

Open-top buses filled the enclosure — one with a cardboard cut-out of the queen watching from the upper deck.

A cheer went up as the sun came out despite forecasts of clouds and rain, leaving people reaching for their hats.

Jason Margrave, 39, a property developer from Epsom, was dressed in what he called “relaxed 1950s weekend attire“: a tweed jacket, cravat and fedora hat with a smoldering pipe of vanilla tobacco.

“You can’t beat the atmosphere here. It’s a fantastic day out. You’ve got the history, the queen.

“I’ve had a little luck on the horses — but not as much as I would like,” he said as he collected his Coronation Cup winnings.

The royals also viewed the paddock and the winners’ circle to get a close-up look at the horses.

The queen could be forgiven for sneaking away at 3:10 p.m. to watch the racing from Haydock Park, where her four-year-old filly Set to Music was on the race card.

But despite the auspicious day her horse came in second, beaten by Shimmering Surf.

The Derby is the only one of the five English classics — the 2,000 Guineas, the 1,000 Guineas, the Epsom Oaks, the Derby and the St. Leger — that Queen Elizabeth has never won.

The closest she got was in 1953, when, just four days after her coronation, she came down to Epsom and saw Aureole finish second.

The last reigning monarch to have a Derby winner was her great-grandfather king Edward VII with

Minoru in 1909.

FROM: AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE