Dazzling opening day at racing's festival of sunlight

RACEGOERS soaked up rays of sunshine and downed glasses of fizz as thousands revelled in the opening day of the Grand National Festival at Aintree yesterday.

- By Chris Riches In Aintree

Over the three-day event, thirsty punters are expected to drink 10,000 bottles of Champagne, 62,000 spirit shots and 193,000 pints of Guinness, while betting £250million.

But it wasn't all thrills and trying to avoid liquid spills in the 19C spring weather. Armed police and undercover crowd specialists were on the lookout for protesters or rowdy race fans. And, in further negative signs of the times, there was a no-drone zone to stop dealers dropping in drugs or gamblers seeing over the course to get live betting advantages.

Meanwhile, amnesty bins were in place for punters to dump drugs before the bag search at the Merseyside track's entrances.

The 23,000 fans at the famous course were joined by the Princess Royal, 74, attending a lunch organised by charity Racing Welfare.

The Daily Express was also there, watching the first race with jubilant Claire O'Hara, 36, and her three friends sisters Maria, Nicola and Kath Thornton as they all backed the winner Impaire Et Passe at 9/4.