HORSEPLAY Kate with Zara Tindall yesterday

THE Duchess of Cambridge whinnies as her pal almost falls at the first hurdle at Ascot yesterday.

She reined back Countess Wessex, 52, as she lost her footing during their classy carriage entrance – but they both saw the funny side.

Kate, 35, wore a bespoke white lace Alexander McQueen dress, costing an estimated £4,000.

Prince William and Princess Beatrice joined the group – bizarrely wearing name tags – for more horseplay as the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh opened the five-day meet in Berkshire. And Her Majesty gave bookies, who predicted her colours would be blue, a first big upset by opting for lime.

Celebs in the crowd included Sir Bruce Forsyth’s wife Wilnelia Merced, 59. And as usual, there were plenty of quirky hats hoping to land a photo finish.