A review of the racing from Haydock Park where Franny Norton starred

A review of the pick of the action from Haydock Park where Franny Norton rode a double for the in-form Mark Johnston.

Liverpool-born Franny Norton was at home on Merseyside when in double form for trainer Mark Johnston at Haydock.

The duo teamed up with Eqleem and Polarisation in tough conditions as rain throughout the afternoon transformed the going from good to firm to soft.

Norton galvanised Polarisation (11-4) to lead fully two furlongs from home and gamely land the feature Better With Bohle Handicap by a neck from the 8-11 favourite Dannyday.

Eqleem (13-8 favourite) was another winning two-year-old for the Johnston stable when making a successful debut in the Pilkington Glass EBF Stallions Maiden Stakes.

The Acclamation colt, who holds an entry in the Gimcrack Stakes, was never far of the pace and powered to the lead inside the final furlong to score by three-quarters of a length from Phantom Flipper.

"Delighted. There were a few experienced horses in the field there, but he did it nicely," Johnston said.

"He was a bit late coming in, but everything he has done he's done well. He has plenty of scope and hopefully there will be plenty of improvement in him. He's got plenty of speed so I wouldn't be scared to run him over this trip again."

Galileo Gold (13-8 favourite) also looked a two-year-old full of promise as he stamped his authority at the business end of the TuffX Glass EBF Stallions Novice Stakes.

Hayadh made the running with Galileo Gold never far away and Hugo Palmer's colt went on a furlong out under a confident Martin Harley to score by a length and a quarter.

"When the ground changes from what you expected it to be you are guessing whether he is going to go in it or not, but Martin was confident and said he would rather go on softish ground than if they missed the rain and it was firm ground," Palmer told Racing UK.

"He's done it very nicely. He's a very immature colt. We'll see where we go now, but we'll probably step him into stakes company at some stage, maybe the Winkfield at Ascot or maybe give him a little break and think of something at the end of the year.

"He looks to me like a horse that's going to get a mile quite quickly."

Wedge (3-1 favourite), well beaten in the Windsor Castle Stakes on his previous start, made amends with a clear-cut victory in the Distinction Doors Nursery Handicap.

Leading a furlong from home in the rain-softened ground, Richard Hannon's youngster asserted close home under Ryan Moore to win by three and a half lengths from Kumanavsumfun.

That gave Moore his 50th winner of the Flat championship season and he completed a double on Birdman (4-5 favourite) in the Float Glass Industries Handicap for trainer David O'Meara.

Samantha Bell kept up her bid for the apprentice title when taking her tally for the season to 17 with victory on Sandgate (7-1) for trainer Richard Fahey in the Ritec ClearShield Handicap.

The 3lb claimer took the bottom weight to the lead over a furlong out and held the late challenge of Goodby Inheritence by a head.

Fahey landed the concluding Supalite Tiled Roof And Orangaries Fillies' Handicap when Tony Hamilton made all on Miss Van Gogh (5-6 favourite).