NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 27 January 1928, Page 3

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

(By ‘Maecenas.”)

The summer meeting of the Takapuna Jockey Club opens on Saturday and concludes on Monday next. Although good prize money is offering by the Takapuna Jockey Club, the class' of horses engaged (with a .feuexceptions) is very moderate. Paganelli was nominated for the Takapuna meeting, but as he will get a short let up lie will be allowed to iorfeit his engagement. \V. S. Bagby had his riding license restored a lew days ago, and rode Flying Hero last Wednesday. Although The Swell stripped remarkably well at Trentham last Wednesday and was paying less than “evens,” he never looked a possibility for a win. On the. strength of his double win against the poorest of class at the last Stratford meeting, punters foolishly made Marble Iviiig a big favourite for the concluding event at Trentham last Wednesday. The imported mare Cynthia N is much improved now ,and many will he surprised should she not win some stake money ere long. She is engaged in the Trial Stakes at the Takapuna meeting on Saturday. The Begum showed fair form against good class youngsters -at Ellerslie. Whether lie is capable of heating that useful filly Prodice at Takapuna. remains to be .seen. Pegaway (9.0) has a good load in tomorrow’s Takapuna. Cup, but he is such a good gelding that he is certain to run well in the event. The Australian-bred Covina appears to have improved considerably of late, a.s shown by his .success up north of Auckland. Ho is engaged in the Iff anraki Handicap at the Takapuna meeting. That this year’s Douro Cup took some winning is shown by the fact of Goshawk not getting a place in that event, and yet being class enough to win the chief handicap on the last day of the recent Wellington meeting. Hynarma, Goshawk, Wayward and Greengrocer, all of which, arc engaged at the Egmont meeting, were capable of winning at Trentham last Wednesday, and if sent to Hawora will he well supported for their engagements. Melissa was a smart two-year-old, and in her races this season. under very big weights .she has shown she has made age Improvement. It will not be shrprising to find the Taranakitrained filly handy in her races at the Takapuna' meeting. Bold Front has quite a number of minor placings to his. credit, but up to the present has always met something too good. He showed his best form at the recent Auckland meeting, so it remains to he. seen hy his running in the High-weight at the Takapuna meeting whether Bold Front is any good. That some of the riding in this Dominion is vicious, careless, or incompetent is obvious, as shown hy the large number of mishaps on “roomy” courses like Ellerslie and Trentham. Some few weeks ago certain courseis were blamed for such mishaps, hut, seeing that the same thing is taking place, on absolutely our best tracks, those who condemned the tracks: and not the riding have now fo find -another reason.