NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLI, Issue XLI, 16 December 1920, Page 6

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

(By "Maecenas.")

The "Woodville racing brought to a <;lose the ■ racing career of the disapj/^inting Bonny Briar (Bona Rosa — -Spring Briar). The imported mare cost iter present owner between-800 and 900 guineas, and can be classed as a-failure on the turf.

Seasprite has been very unsound of late, but her trainer (O. Rudings) has managed to keep her on her legs. With a view of getthfg the benefit of sea water and beach exercise Mr. Fredric ias sent the daughter of Hallowmas to P. Johnston at New Plymouth.

Vespucci still continues to get through good work at Riccarton, and liis work compares favourably with that -of any other animal (bar Arrowsmith) working at. Riooartori. I will be much surprised if Mason fails to win ajface with Varco's sen at Ellerslie.

The latest club to announce course improvements is the Otaki Racing Club. 'This • body intends spending £7000 in this conneeton during the coming twelve •months. '

The Stratford Racing Club intends leaving no stone unturned in the endeavour to make the forth.com.ing meeting >a record- one in the history of the club. The club is looking forward to reaching the £100,000 mark in totalisator investments. The machine and staff will be under the supervision of Mr. Silk (Wanganui). The Taranaki Oitizens' Band is (also being employed at considerable expense. Scrap o' Paper won the Cup and Fly_ ing at the Bay of Plenty gathering last week, but the fields were weak, as the veteran Royal Irish filled second berth, in the Cup, while the mediocre Guian--form ran third. The mile and a quarter was run in the fair time of 2.9 2-5. Scrap o' Paper is engaged at both New Plymouth and Stratford meetings, so after this form he will possibly be "brought south for the meetings named.

Tommy Rot, which Avon the two—year<>l<L race on the first day at Woodville, ~is. a full brother to Listowel. and gave promise of turning out wellt but unfortunately the son of Absurd has got touched in the wfnd. That, of course, is not a complaint which wears off with - age. but rather gets more pronounced.

It may be of interest to supporters of Gasbag to know that "all has not been ■well with this colt of late. The cause -«of trouble is in the shoulder, and r-Jefferd has not given Demosthenes' son ..as much work as he wished him to have, seeing he is engaged in the Auckland Cup and Great Northern Derby. As Gasbag had a.fairly strenuous time during October and November, the "let up" may be more beneficial than detrimental.

The connections of Sunart (Sunnylake —Latchet). .are. very v sweet on t<he gelding's chance in the Auckland Cup, in -which event lie is particularly " well handicapped (7.5), and although Sun-