Aintree has started watering its three tracks ahead of the Grand National meeting which begins on Thursday.

With little rainfall forecast during the week, course officials are striving to maintain perfect underfoot conditions for the world's most famous steeplechase on Saturday.

Clerk of the course Andrew Tulloch said watering began on Sunday.

"By the end of today, all the courses will have received one round of watering of between three and seven millimetres.

"We will reassess the situation as the week goes on and water as necessary to maintain the going as just on the soft side of good on the Mildmay and Hurdle courses.

"We are aiming for good to soft, good in places or good, good to soft in places on the Grand National course.

"Temperatures are not expected to get up to more than 8C or 9C this week so there will be little evaporation and we are aiming to maintain the going as it is now.

"The soil temperature last year was 9C, while this year it has reached just 5C.

"There is no meaningful amount of rain forecast between now and Saturday - one millimetre at the most, plus maybe a few wintry showers."