Driving wind and rain couldn’t deter racegoers at miserable ‘r-Aintree’ on the first day of the Grand National festival today.
The ladies of Liverpool refused to be beaten by the freezing temperatures and turned up in their trademark strappy dresses, flamboyant hats and high heels.
Punters were seen battling with their brollies and huddling together to stay warm as the mercury plummeted 15C from the hottest day of the year on Wednesday.
More than 150,000 racegoers are expected over the three-day festival, with around £250million expected to be gambled on the big race on Saturday.
Jeanette Chinn, 56, of Tarporley, said the weather was ‘freezing’ but couldn’t put a dampener on the racing.
‘I’ve barely taken my coat off since I got here,’ said Ms Chinn.
‘It would have been nice to have a bit of sunshine – Wednesday was a beautiful day, it’s such a shame we didn’t get the weather today but we don’t mind. It’s still such a great day out.’
The poor weather drove punters into the bars, including the first ever pop up of the Ibiza-inspired O Beach, where dancers dressed in red and pink heart-themed leotards entertained crowds.
University student Annika Courtney, 21, who was enjoying the O beach dance party, said: ‘It’s a brilliant idea, my friends love it. I think it’s great if it attracts a new young crowd to racing.
‘I’m just glad they just haven’t brought any sand because you don’t want that in your shoes. The music is great, it’s brilliant to dance in between races.’
Anne, The Princess Royal, 75, was pictured in a VIP box, and other celebrities in attendance on the first day of the meeting included former England striker Michael Owen and ex-Olympic hockey player Sam Quek.
Keen racehorse goer, Owen, who owns a large number of flat racing horses that are trained out of his Manor House stables, in nearby Chester, said: ‘I didn’t really come as a player because Grand National day was always a playing day and we couldn’t be seen out and about.
‘But in the last few years I’ve been coming quite a bit. I’ve really enjoyed it.’
Meanwhile, superstar female jockey, Rachael Blackmore, 36 – the only woman to have won the four mile steeplechase – was made an official Grand National legend.
Tee-total Blackmore, who is eight months’ pregnant and won the famous race in 2021 on Minella Times, will have her own legends plaque on the wall of Blackmore’s, a new alcohol-free bar named after her, which she also opened today.
Eager revellers arrived at the Merseyside course from 11am today, dressed to impress in mini dresses and feathered fascinators.
While Cheltenham is all about the tweed country looks, Aintree is its more risqué cousin – and the looks on display this morning certainly lived up to that assessment, with many racegoers opting for thigh-skimming ensembles and plunging frocks.
Commanding attention in their racy numbers, revellers went all out in figure-hugging dresses, sheer attire and lacy looks as they flashed the flesh for their big day out.
Unlike Royal Ascot which adopts stricter rules on what to wear, the three-day festival, which hosts the showpiece Grand National race on Saturday afternoon, takes a more relaxed approach and tells attendees to simply come ‘dressed to feel your best’.
Fancy dress for revellers is also allowed, as long as the costume isn’t offensive or derogatory.
Yellow appeared to be a theme of the day, as glamorous racegoers brought the sunshine in off-the-shoulder frocks and halterneck dresses.
Elsewhere, one woman turned heads in a plunging black maxi dress, complete with a thigh-high split and a deep V-neckline.
Another racegoer showcased her enviable figure in a white mini dress featuring statement sleeves as she posed up a storm at the racecourse.
The festival, which this year takes place from Thursday April 9 to Saturday April 11, is one of the biggest events in the global sporting calendar.
It is also broadcast live to a television audience of around 800 million people worldwide.
The Grand National on Saturday, known as the ‘people’s race’, includes 30 fences to over two laps, making it the longest horse race in Britain.
Following the withdrawal of last year’s winner Nick Rockett on Thursday, 2024 champion I Am Maximus is likely to go into Saturday’s race as the favourite of the 34 declared runners.
The Willie Mullins-trained thoroughbred won the feature race two years ago and came in second to stablemate Nick Rockett last year.
He is aiming to be the first dual winner since Tiger Roll, who won back to back Nationals in 2019.
