Special day for Norton
Local lad Franny Norton had a day to remember when he rode his first winner for the Queen on Banknote in the Dalkia Handicap at Haydock Park today.
The 16-1 shot took a keen hold on the heels of the leaders in the early stages of the one-mile contest before bursting through a narrow gap to hit the front well inside the final furlong.
In the end, the Andrew Balding-trained colt won a shade cosily by a length and a half from Yakimov.
After weighing in, Norton, from Belle Vale in Liverpool, said: “I’ve ridden for the Queen before but this is my first winner. To ride a winner for anyone is magnificent and to get on one for the Queen is terrific, especially at my local track.
“I do well here and I have a lot of support here, so it’s good.”
Norton was completing 135-1 double having been on the mark on another popular winner when Angus Newz took the LCCC Development Association Maiden Claiming Stakes.
The 7-1 chance is owned by a syndicate including trainer Mick Quinn’s father and “a few of the boys from Liverpool”.
Angus Newz got the better of long-time leader King Alfie by a neck in the six-furlong event and the filly was greeted with plenty of cheering when she returned to the winner’s circle.
“My dad is involved and so are a few of the boys from Liverpool, so it’s nice to come here and have a winner – there’ll be a few hangovers in the morning,” the Newmarket trainer said.
“Haydock and Chester are my favourite courses and anything I bring up usually has a strong chance.
“I’ve just put a friendly claim in because I think she could win a little ursery and I lost Byo, my old stager, during the week after he got claimed.”
However, Quinn was in luck as there were no claims received.
Morzine, a half-sister to Three Valleys, the brilliant winner of the 2003 Coventry Stakes, maintained the family tradition with an impressive performance in the Eurowrap EBF Novice Fillies’ Stakes.
Roger Charlton’s beautifully-bred newcomer was favoured by the conditions of the six-furlong contest and she justified 7-4 favouritism in great style.
Richard Hughes settled the market leader just behind the leaders before bringing the filly down the centre of the track to hit the front just inside the last of the six furlongs.
Morzine produced a classy burst of speed to go clear and score by four lengths from Countrywide Belle.
Charlton said: “I’m off the hook now, a half-sister to Three Valleys wins, that’s good.
“She’s always been a nice, kind filly and she’s well-bred. Richard was happy enough with her and we’ll stick to six furlongs at the moment.
“She was getting 11lb from the top one and that’s a lot of weight for the winner of a maiden to give away.
“She could have run at Newbury today, but there would be 20 runners so we came here when there would be six or seven runners and in these novices you get a 4lb allowance for not having had a run.”
However, Charlton does not believe she will reach the same heights as her illustrious relative.
He said: “She doesn’t sadly show at home what Three Valleys used to show – he was phenomenal – but it’s nice to win.
“I don’t think she’ll be his class, very few would. He was the best horse I trained, just nothing went right for him.”
Charlton doubled up at odds of 10-1 when Steve Drowne brought Strawberry Leaf with a well-timed run to collar the front-running Muzdaher close home in the David Hardie Racegoers Club Competition Winner Maiden Stakes and land the spoils by a length.
There was a turn up in the Sunset Park Handicap when 40-1 shot Borderlescott prevailed in a close finish.
Useful 5lb claimer Andrew Mullen brought Robin Bastiman’s outsider through the pack to lead a furlong out and he kept enough in reserve to deny the strong-finishing Divine Spirit by a neck.
“He ran quite well last time out, but we’ve had a bit of virus in the yard and we’ve had to wait a bit. But they seem to be coming back now,” explained Bastiman.
“He’s a nice horse and he’ll be even better next year. He goes to Hamilton next, the owner (Jimmy Edgar) lives up there, in two weeks’ time and it will take a good three-year-old to beat him.
“The owner couldn’t make it today, but he’s just phoned me and he’s over the moon – he had a few bob on.
“The lad rode him well. He did everything I told him to.”
Inchnadamph held on to score under Robert Winston in a thrilling finish to the Faucets For Mira Showers Handicap.
The Tim FitzGerald-trained gelding was always in touch with the pace set by Jeepstar before getting the better of the leader at the furlong pole.
He looked in trouble when Millville threw down a strong late challenge, but the post arrived just in time and he held on by a short head.
FitzGerald had been in two minds about running his 4-1 shot only five days after his last race, but Winston’s agent, Richard Hale, convinced him the five-year-old had a good chance.< “I wasn’t going to run him, but Richard rang me yesterday morning and said ‘you’ve gone up 4lb and I think you’ll win this race’,” explained the Malton trainer.
“It’s only five days since he last ran, but Richard persuaded me to run him - thank goodness.
“I was bothered about the ground being too quick and I was bothered about him until he crossed the line and came back in alright.
“The ground actually rode alright, but it’s as quick as he wants it.”
