Franny Norton guides Best Of Lips to stylish success in 'German Dewhurst'

A day after Frankie Dettori landed the Dewhurst aboard St Mark's Basilica, Franny Norton was on the mark in the German equivalent, the Group 3 Preis des Winterfavoriten, as he partnered Best Of Lips to a clear-cut success at Cologne.

While Dettori won't be 50 until December, Norton passed that landmark in July and was delighted to be rekindling a long-term friendship with Best Lips' trainer, Andreas Suborics.

"I've known Andreas for years and he's been around everywhere," said Norton. "He knew I was coming over to ride in the German Leger for Mark Johnston last month and said he had a nice horse for me that day."

"Today Best Of Lips picked up smoothly and went away. He's still a bit babyish and looked to his right a little bit but he's improved from when I first rode him."

Best Of Lips is a first stakes winner at stud for French 2,000 Guineas winner The Gurkha and a trip to France for the Criterium de Saint-Cloud is now on the cards.

Norton said: "He goes to Paris in two weeks, all being well. Depending on the quarantine situation hopefully we'll get to go over and ride him there.

"He'll be a better horse over ten furlongs and he handled the soft ground fine here."

Best Of Lips travelled powerfully in behind the leaders and as the field fanned out across the straight, he sliced between runners to coast home three and a half lengths clear of Sea Of Sands.

"I rode a lot of good horses in my career as a jockey, but I've never been around such a good two-year-old colt," said Suborics, who was associated with such stars of the German turf as Tiger Hill, Sumitas and Shirocco during his time in the saddle.

"I have never trained a candidate for the Derby, so it would of course be nice to start with the favourite next year."

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