Season over for resurgent Norton

He has undergone two lengthy operations after his broken leg horror at Leicester exactly a week ago when his mount – the Johnston-trained Princess Tamay – reared up and fell on the stricken 43-year-old rider.

It is a desperate blow to Norton, one of the stalwarts of Northern racing, who had ridden 80 winners this calendar year – just two short of his personal best – when calamity struck.

Norton’s agent, Ian Wardle, said: “His last operation on Friday seemed to have gone well and he’s as well as you could expect him to be.

“There’s no real timescale he’s been given for a return, it’s just a case of getting himself sorted out, week-by-week.

“Whatever happens, you’re still probably looking at the end of January before he can think about coming back.”

With Middleham-based Johnston having around 200 horses in training, there were plenty of opportunities for both longstanding stable jockey Joe Fanning and the likes of Norton.

“This ‘game’, horse racing, is the ultimate leveller,” observed Johnston. “Jock Bennett was representing me at the track and he reported that Franny, known as one of the toughest men in racing, was clearly in terrible pain.

“I dearly hope it doesn’t mean a long absence for him at a time when he has been riding as well as ever in his life.”

Norton’s injury increases the likelihood of the aforementioned Fanning being the Cock o’ the North for 2013 – the cap traditionally presented to the region’s leading Flat rider by the Yorkshire Post in conjunction with Great British Racing.

The victor last year following 2010 and 2011 champion jockey Paul Hanagan’s move to Newmarket, Fanning is rapidly closing in on the 100-winner mark for the campaign and is comfortably clear of his closest pursuer Danny Tudhope, from David O’Meara’s Nawton yard.

Skipton-born William Haggas has withdrawn Rex Imperator from Saturday’s William Hill Gold Cup at Ayr.

The Stewards’ Cup hero, owned by Leeds-based businessman and Guiseley FC owner Steve Parkin, will not attempt to double up in big sprint handicaps after finishing unplaced in the Group One Betfred Sprint Cup at Haydock.

Ante-post market leader Baccarat, winner of Ripon’s Great St Wilfrid for trainer Richard Fahey, stands his ground as does Dean Ivory’s progressive York winner Tropics.

Also included are golfer Lee Westwood’s Hoof It, trained at Sheriff Hutton by Mick Easterby, and Hambleton trainer Kevin Ryan’s Wokingham winner York Glory.

Aintree stalwart Clan Royal has died at his owner JP McManus’s Martinstown Stud in County Limerick at the age of 18.

Trained for most of his career by Jonjo O’Neill, Clan Royal saved his best for the Liverpool venue and the unique obstacles. Although he won the Topham and Becher Chases in 2003, he was unlucky not to have captured a Grand National.

He was caught in the shadow of the winning post when Bedale’s Graham Lee got up on the line on Amberleigh House to win a fourth National for the legendary Ginger McCain in 2004, and Clan Royal was third behind Numbersixvalverde in 2006.

In 2005, fate was against him as was carried out by a loose horse at Becher’s on the second circuit when clear of the field under Tony McCoy.

Fittingly, Clan Royal was retired after finishing 11th to Silver Birch in the 2007 National.

A veteran of 30 races, he won eight times.

“Liverpool seemed to light him up and he had good days round there,” said McManus’s racing manager Frank Berry.

“He was a great old servant. Old age caught up with him, but he enjoyed his few years of retirement.”

King George winner Novellist remains on track for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe next month according to his German-based trainer Andreas Wohler.

“The Arc will be a different type of race, different horses to what he has met before. It will be a new mix,” he said after watching Frankie Dettori’s Treve, and Epsom Derby winner Ruler Of The World, excel in the weekend trials at Longchamp.

“We just need everything to go well in the race.”