Royal gold for Zara Phillips

Zara Phillips held her nerve to win individual gold at the World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany.

Phillips, the daughter of Princess Anne, the Princess Royal, rode to victory on her mount Toytown by posting an almost flawless final round on the showjumping course on the final day of the three-day, three discipline event.

She managed to take the lead in the competition with a superb cross-country round, when she moved up from fifth to first overall and held on through the final day to pick up the top prize.

Following in the footsteps of her mother, who won eventing gold at the European Championships in 1971 and her father, Captain Mark Phillips, who won a gold medal at the Munich Olympics in 1972, Phillips described the result as "fantastic".

"It's unbelievable," she said. "It's great we got a medal for the team as well," noting that Britain notched a silver behind eventual team competition winners Germany. Australia took the bronze.

Miss Phillips dedicated her victory to a riding compatriot, Sherelle Duke, who died after a fall during the Brockenhurst Horse Trials last week.