Grand National 2010: Day One

The sun is shining on the opening day of the 3 day Grand National meeting at Aintree. The fine weather has definitely brought out the crowds for the first day of the meeting, which has been renamed "Liverpool Day" in order to celebrate the city. Liverpudlian actor Ricky Tomlinson, dressed in jockey's silks opened the festival. A number of Liverpool sporting legends are in attendance including Steve McManaman, Robbie Fowler, John Aldridge, Alan Kennedy, Joe Royle, Colin Harvey, boxer David Price, swimmer Steve Parry and St Helens RLFC stars Paul Sculthorpe and Paul Wellens.
Photograph: Tom Jenkins

The first race is the Liverpool Hurdle and the hot favourite at 30-100 is Big Bucks, ridden by Ruby Walsh, romped home to win. Despite stumbling on landing over a hurdle on the far side and at the top of the home straight, when he briefly looked like hitting one of those famous flat spots, he had looked by far the most likely winner throughout the race. It was his eighth win in a row and he was last beaten when unseating Sam Thomas at the last fence in the 2008 Hennessy Gold Cup Photograph: Tom Jenkins

The second race of the day is the Matalan four-year-old Novice Hurdle and a punter cheers on Tony McCoy on Barizan Photograph: Tom Jenkins

...hopefully she backed him each way as he finished second, behind Orsippus. The 40-1 shot ridden by Davy Condon, was in third place after the final hurdle but finished strongly to surge past McCoy on Barizan and Ruby Walsh on Sanctuaire and win the race by around a length Photograph: Tom Jenkins

Losing that race seems to have spurred on Ruby Walsh who is riding 5-2 shot What a Friend in the next race, The Totesport Bowl Chase. He takes advantage of Imperial Commander's mistake which unseated Paddy Brennan to surge ahead and win ahead of Carruthers and Nacarat Photograph: Tom Jenkins

What A Friend co-owner Sir Alex Ferguson looks a good deal cheerier than he did at Old Trafford last night as he joins Ruby Walsh and trainer Paul Nichols in the unsaddling enclosure Photograph: Tom Jenkins

As pleased as he is with the win, Fergie must hope that he'll get his hands on a bigger piece of silverware by the season's end - the Premier League trophy being his next priority
Photograph: Tom Jenkins

Posh frocks and high heels were the order of the day for the ladies Photograph: Tom Jenkins

Fourth race of the day is the Fox Hunter's Chase which provides a shock winner after an incident packed race. The first and second favourites Baby Run and Trust Fund both fell and only 9 of the 21 starters finished the race. The race was won by the 50-1 shot Silver Adonis, above left, with Moncadou and Blu Teen finishing second and third Photograph: Tom Jenkins

Some of the fallen jockeys dejectedly watch the finale of the Foxhunters chase Photograph: Tom Jenkins

The crowd enjoy the first day's action, some of them would have had a good day on the betting front with a couple of reasonably long odds horses following Silver Adonis' lead and winning in the last few races. Chaninbar (20-1) won the Red Rum Chase, Mad Max (4-1) won the Manifesto Novice Chase and Sir Harry Ormesher (16-1) won the last race of the day, the Silver Cross Handicap Hurdle
Photograph: Tom Jenkins