ROYALS, A-listers and top football managers joined the throngs at Prestbury Park to see in day one of the Cheltenham Festival.

Actress Liz Hurley, royal Zara Phillips, author Jilly Cooper and TV personality Trinny Woodall were among almost 50,000 punters enjoying the start of the four-day event.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp and I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! winner Joe Swash were also spotted amid the race fans.

The first race was sent off by the traditional roar of the crowd from the packed grandstands.

Despite the busy atmosphere, ticket sales were just under six per cent down with the gates recording 49,450 visitors.

Course managing director Edward Gillespie said: "With the background of the economy, we are very happy with the sales."

Fewer Irish people were reported to have made their annual pilgrimage to Cheltenham due to the downturn but first blood went to the Emerald Isle with the win of Noel Meade-trained Go Native in the first.

John White, 44, from Kildare, said he thought the number of Irish visitors was definitely down.

He said this was his 20th festival and he wouldn't miss it for the world.

The bank manager said: "It didn't enter my head not to come because of the financial situation. My wife had a baby in 1997 when I was at the festival and I didn't miss it then."

Leslie Johnston, 45, from Kildare, has been making the journey for 22 years.

The butcher said: "It's a shame fewer Irish people have come over. They just cannot afford it. But I'm not going to bet less, I'm going to bet more – when you're down, you have to bet more."

Young and old stood side by side to cheer home their favourites horses.

Royal Agricultural College student Charlie Iles has been coming to the festival since she was about five years old.

The 23-year-old from Stroud said: "I don't think I've missed a year. I look forward to it every year. I like everything about it, the atmosphere and the racing. It's not the same watching it on the TV.

"It doesn't feel as if there are fewer people here than last year."

Meanwhile,Terrence Jones, 80, from Penarth, South Wales, was on his 25th visit.

He said: "I can still remember the day I first came fairly clearly. It's a very enjoyable occasion. I always love it, it's wonderful. There is nowhere else like it in the world – especially when you have had a winner.

"I had a winner at 22-1 which was very nice indeed."

Dressing to impress was also the order of the day for many race fans and it was not just the A-listers putting on the style.

Decked out in tweed with caps and pipes, brothers Sam, Ben and Josh Taylor looked the part.

It was the first time the trio, from Sheffield, had come to Prestbury Park together.

Sam, 29, who works for L'Oreal, said: "This is the first time I have come to the festival. We wanted to dress up and make it a special occasion."

For a video of the day's events, visit www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk