SPORTING NOTES.

Shannon News, 28 September 1926, Page 2

SPORTING NOTES.

Comedy Prince, who was given & physic after Wanganui, is again bach in work. All going well, the Comedy King gelding will race at. the Wellington meeting prior to accompanying his ' stable companion, Mah Jong, to the New Zealand Cup fixture. Mah Jong’s success at Wanganui has raised his winning stake money to £450 which carries him out of hack company. His big mission is the New Zealand Cup in which he will not be without some support from local followers and he has already firmed considerably in the market. He will have the benefit of racing at Otaki and Well ington before entering upon the tug Palmerston stables will have three representatives in the -New ZGal^ 1 ' , Cup, for, in addition to Mah Jong, N >- var and Diogenes also claim engagements. The last named, who had his training operations interrupted owing to a leg mishap, is still carrying plenty

of condition and does not promise to be as far forward as the other pair. The Otaki Maori Racing Club has received excellent support from Awapuni stables. No less than 19 animals one of which in Lin Arlington, figure in the nominations for the first day. A short portion of the outside of the grass proper at Awapuni, which originally marked the old entrance from the stables to the training tracks, is at present receiving attention in the form of re-turfing, the sown grass never having properly taken. Certain other sections are receiving similar attention. The work in connection with the laying down of the additional tracks at Awapuni is steadily progressing, but the heavy downpour of the early morning made working conditions far from favourable, surface water lying in some of the low lying sections. The excavation and transfer of the soil from the hillock at the gates entrance is proving a job of some magnitude and some little time must elapse before it is completed.