'I'm now ready to move on' - weighing room veteran Franny Norton calls time on 36-year career

Franny Norton, a fixture in the weighing room for more than 30 years, has called time on his career – with the rider taking his final rides at Chester's last meeting of the season on Saturday.

The 54-year-old, who became known as the king of Chester with more victories at the track than any other jockey, will bow out at the end of the meeting after partnering almost 2,000 winners domestically, including three Group races aboard Sir Ron Priestley and wins in the Ebor and Chester Cup.

"When you're riding at my level, the game retires you," said Norton. "A lot of people call it a day due to a battle with the scales but I've had a battle to get on them. I was still fit and hungry for it but if the opportunities aren't coming all you're doing is blocking the pathway to your next chapter.

"I was going to pack up at the same time as Frankie Dettori at the end of last season but I felt like I had unfinished business. I finished fourth in the Chester Cup but felt like I should have won and it niggled me. I knew then in the back of mind that I wasn't done but I'm now ready to move on."

Asked what he is most proud of when reflecting on his lengthy career, the veteran jockey said: "When I look back, I knew nothing about horses when I started in racing but I went on to ride nearly 2,000 winners and I'm proud to have reached that level."

Norton came from a non-racing background to make his debut in 1988 and rode his first winner in Pisa, Italy. The lightweight jockey made a quick start, winning the 1991 Ebor aboard the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Deposki, who was allotted 7st 3lb, but he found life hard after riding out his claim.

A couple of fallow seasons prompted him to consider a career in the boxing ring – he was selected for the England squad for the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur – but he decided to return to racing and later formed an enduring partnership with Mark Johnston, which continued when his son Charlie took over the licence.

Franny Norton: aboard three-time Group winner Sir Ron PriestleyCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Alongside a pioneering approach to health and nutrition, Norton lists his association with the Johnston yard as one of the reasons for his longevity, and said: "Mark was unbelievably loyal to me. I was offered a few jobs when I was doing well there but there was no way I was ever going to leave. I rode lots of winners, there were plenty of horses and Mark was great to ride for."

Norton passed 50 winners for the first time in 2000, a mark he has hit in all but four of the subsequent years, and rode a career-best 112 British winners in 2018. One year later, he landed the Chester Cup aboard Making Miracles at a track where he has partnered more than 150 winners.

"If you go to tracks like Ascot or Goodwood you only really get a feel from the crowd of what's happening in the final furlong, whereas at Chester you get it all the way around, inside and outside the track," said Norton. "Racegoers can watch the race from anywhere and it's an incredible buzz."

However, the highlight of his career did not come at Chester but at Doncaster. Norton singles out The Gold Cheongsam's narrow success in a sales race in 2012 – a victory the Liverpool fan dedicated to the victims of the Hillsborough disaster – as his most memorable.

"The news had broken that there was going to be justice for the 97," said the jockey. "When Jeremy Noseda phoned me up to ride the horse, who only had a light weight, he gave me loads of confidence. I thought I had already won and when I did I wanted to do something for Hillsborough."

Following his retirement, Norton hopes to support young people from deprived areas and to help them break into the racing industry. Drawing on decades of experience, he already has plenty of advice for up-and-coming riders.

"My advice would be to sleep well, because we never did, eat well and work hard," added Norton. "You've also got to be passionate about the sport but you need to find a balance too, which it's easy to lose sight of when you're on the little hamster wheel going round and round."

Three of the best

Permian

I won the Dante on him in 2017 and he was typical of the horses trained by Mark in that he was incredibly tough. Unfortunately, things didn't work out for him. He was ready to progress to the next level and really break through but he never got the chance to properly fulfil his potential.

Franny Norton shares a moment with his Dante winner PermianCredit: Edward Whitaker

Making Miracles

I'd won most races at Chester but always wanted to win the Chester Cup. I was beaten a short-head in 2000 on a horse called Ansar for Dermot Weld and I thought I'd won the race. I kept coming close after that but then Making Miracles didn't just win it in 2019, he killed them. The heavens opened, the ground was testing and I was drawn right out in stall 16 but he won by six lengths, which was a special moment.

Sir Ron Priestley

I loved Sir Ron because he wore his heart on his sleeve. I won three Group races on him and he was also second in the St Leger and third in the 2021 Goodwood Cup. He broke down after that, which was a real shame. Whenever I do anything, I like to give my all and he was exactly the same.

Franny Norton CV

Full name Francis Charles Norton

Born Liverpool, July 28, 1970

Apprenticed to Peter Arthur, Charlie Nelson, Alan Bailey, Geoff Wragg

First mount Chateau Perigord, 3rd at Chepstow, May 30, 1988

First winner Stoneyford, Pisa, 1989

First winner in Britain Easter Glory, Salisbury, May 3, 1989

First big-race winner Halkopous (1991 John Smith's Magnet Cup)

Group 2 winners Permian (2017 Dante Stakes), Thunderous (2020 Dante Stakes), Dark Vision (2020 Oettingen-Rennen), Sir Ron Priestley (2021 Jockey Club Stakes, Princess of Wales's Stakes)

Group 3 winners Princess Iris (2006 Firth of Clyde Stakes), Banknote (2007 Badener Meile), Kilmah (2016 Prestige Stakes), West End Girl (2019 Sweet Solera Stakes), Sir Ron Priestley (2019 March Stakes), Rose Of Kildare (2020 Musidora Stakes), Best Of Lips (2020 Preis des Winterfavoriten)

Group winner for Queen Elizabeth II Banknote (2007 Badener Meile)

Royal Ascot winners El Gran Papa (2000 Britannia Handicap), Analyser (2001 Britannia Handicap), Binanti (2007 Buckingham Palace Handicap)

Other big-handicap winners Deposki (1991 Ebor Handicap), She's Our Mare (1999 Cambridgeshire), Silverware (2000 Irish Cambridgeshire), Archduke Ferdinand (2001 Northumberland Plate), Unshakable (2005 Totesport Mile), Our Jonathan (2011 Ayr Gold Cup), Star Lahib (2013 Old Newton Cup), Making Miracles (2019 Chester Cup), Sir Ron Priestley (2019 bet365 Handicap)

Other notable winners Piccolo (1994 Chipchase Stakes), Tax Free (2009 Abernant Stakes)

Classic runner-up Sir Ron Priestley (2019 St Leger)

Richest prize £206,900 in 2012 Weatherbys Insurance "300,000 2-Y-O Stakes (Doncaster) won by The Gold Cheongsam

Last winner Aviemore, Chester, September 13, 2024

Highest-rated mounts (RPRs) 120 Sir Ron Priestley (2021 Princess of Wales's Stakes), 119 Our Jonathan (2011 Ayr Gold Cup)

Flat Ride of the Year (Lester Award) 1999: She's Our Mare, Cambridgeshire

Runner-up in apprentices' championship 1991 (to Darryll Holland)

Highest position in jockeys' championship joint-10th in 2018

Group wins 12

Royal Ascot wins 3

Most wins in a year in Britain 112 (2018)

Total wins in Britain 1,904

Compiled by John Randall

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