Martell Cognac Grand National day dawned with overcast skies and high hopes - some of which will be realised but most will come a cropper over the famous and fearsome fences.

Ruby Walsh took Aintree by storm with a sparkling 681-1 treble in the first three races on Martell Cognac Grand National day with one trainer hailing the jockey as the “best thing to come out of Ireland since Guinness”.