NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 8 February 1927, Page 6

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

(By “Maecenas.”)

Toapaiti was very lame when sent out to race at Egmont last Thursday, and the hard tracks may send him into retirement. Royal Acre, who is an inmate of It. Brough’s establishment, is a nice style of gelding, and on his showing on Thursday will win races. While Lady Desmond showed a dislike for the barrier in her _ race at Egmont last week her behaviour was a big improvement on her earlier appearances. If she only settles down she will win good races. Large fields do not always provide the most interesting racing. At the recent Egmont meeting small fields were in the majority, but the sport p’rovided was splendid. Present indications point to lean fields being the order at all autumn meetings. On mile courses fields oi ten or a dozen are ample. When competing in the Nolan Cup twelve months ago, the Waikato-ownecl Bright Knight was unlucky enough to strike another horse and fall, the mishap putting him out of action for a long time. While training on the same course last week a similar accident befel Bright Knight. The price paid for the three-year-old Tea Bell is given as 750 guineas, at which price he should prove a good bargain to his new owner. Owner-trainer R. Hannon stated in conversation that Tinoiti had slipped her hip during the running of a race at the Takapuna meeting, but the hip went bac kto position just as quickly.

Last season great things were expected of Llandudno when trained by T. Clarke at Hastings, but lie consistently let backers down. Llandudno is now "trained at Te Awamutu by AY. Stone, who has him well. _ , Spoony was not taken to Te Kuiti for the meeting, so. evidently J. T. Jamieson was anxious to stay with his team in view of the Taranaki meeting, at which they are extensively engaged. AVhile bad courses are often blamed for horses falling, it is obvious that- in these days of poor race riding horses are -liable to be brought down on the very best of our courses. While Piuthair did not have a great deal to -spare at the finish of the .Egmont Cup decided last Wednesday, she really finished better than any of her opponents, and must be given a chance in any handicaps run over a distance of ground, as she is a good stayer. As Air. R. A. AlcKenzie had no luck with his horses -since the spring, the success of Piuthair and Ciarinda at the recent Egmont meeting was appreciated by his numerou-s friends. Air. McKenzie did not see the pair win, as he is holiday-making in Otago. A'esperus was not at all well placed during the middle stages of the Nolan Cup, but over the last furlong he was finishing on well in fourth place. On Thursday Vesperus was never far from the leaders, but even then was lucky to- get through on the inside of five horses.

If the Taranaki Jockey Club are lucky enough to get Grand Knight and The "Hawk in the field for the Taranaki Stakes it will infuse great interest into the weight-for-age contest. After her good effort at the recent Wellington meeting Orazone was noted as one that had made great improvement since her two-year-old career. The showing of Novar and Euphonium in the Egmont Cup last AVednesday was much below that exhibited’by them in the Afanawatu Cup. on Boxing Day, in which event the pair heat the useful Rapier. (n the concluding event at Egmont on Thursday Kilmiss was unlucky in being between two runners that were hanging in badly. But lor this backers of Kilmiss might have collected a dividend on the first horse. The For dell trainer E. Tilley intended nominating some of his team ior the recent Egmont meeting, but the letter miscarried to New Plymouth, and when received by the Egmont Racing Club’s secretary tlie nominations had closed. Prior to being sent to race at Egmont, AYhenuanui is reported to have beaten The Thorn in a gallop. Seeing how decisively AVlienuanui won each day he evidently ran up to the tidal. He is now a ball of muscle. At the Te Kuiti meeting Llandudno beat Ngarara very easily over a mile at a difference of 51b. At the Rotorua meeting Ngarara was asked to concede Llandudno no less than 161 b over the same distance, so on actual figures Llandudno has much the better of matters.