Grand National Meeting: day one - in pictures

It's the first day at Aintree and the punters are arriving for what promises to be another colourful festival Photograph: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

The ladies attending this year's festival have come dressed up to the nines. Well, some of them have Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA

It's good to see the famed Liverpool hairdresser Herbert Howe has gone for an understated look this year Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA

They're pretty huge, these fences. Six feet and the rest Photograph: Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images

The racing gets underway. Here, Unowatimeen, ridden by Samantha Drake, jumps the water during the Fox Hunters' Steeplechase Photograph: ANDREW YATES/AFP/Getty Images

Presentandcorrect gets a face full of dirt as he falls at Becher's Brook. The 4-1 joint favourite Cloudy Lane was the eventual winner Photograph: Alex Livesey/Getty Images

There's a faller at the first hurdle Photograph: Kelvin Bruce / Max Mumby/Enigma

Coleen Rooney is in the stands, watched over by her boyfriend Wayne. Shouldn't it be the other way around? Photograph: Dave Thompson/PA

Ruby Walsh rides Big Buck's during the Liverpool Hurdle Race - victory today would be his 17th straight success at Aintree and his fourth straight Liverpool Hurdle crown Photograph: Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images

Punters in the grandstands urge their horses on Photograph: Russell Cheyne/Reuters

Walsh guides his ride over the hurdles and to a convincing win Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA

Big Buck's was the 2-9 favourite going into the race and didn't disappoint his legion of supporters as he romped home by nine lengths Photograph: Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images