GENERAL NOTES.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1303, 15 April 1915, Page 13

GENERAL NOTES.

Mr. James Pettie, who trained and drove Auckland Girl in all her work, won a race with that mare two years ago, after which she went lame. A splint was the cause, and this was removed by Dr. Ring. Orange drove her on Saturday when she won. Mr. Pettie, who is naturally pleased at getting some return for his perseverance, holds a record such as probably no other reinsman can point to. He won the first four races he ever drove in. This was with Vanish some years ago down South. For his enterprise he deserves more luck than he has met with of late, as he has imported horses from Australia and America, and has bred a few useful ones. Auckland Girl is being sent South to compete at New Brighton.

Mr. W. Abbott had the good judgment to purchase St. Ursula recently for £350, with a contingency of £lOO, and must have won the thick side of that amount on Saturday with the mare, who is likely to do him good service if she is not over-taxed. She has qualified for the next New Zealand Trotting Cup, which Mr. Abbott tried to win with Stop It. A lot of people think that it would have been policy to have waited for that event, but there is a good old saying, “Win when you can,” and that policy is the one that plenty of waiters would have found it pay to act up to. Some are still waiting, without much prospect of doing any good. The qualifying clause gives owners something to do now in order to get their horses ready to go fast enough and to stay with the speed on for two miles. St. Ursula is the best four-year-old mare in the North, and is by Papanui from Lucy Hinion. The Wildwood blood was in evidence in a number of races last week. » * * $ It is not. often that brothers are such keen rivals in the sport of trotting as to have their horses battling against each other as the Edwards Bros. do. In trying to beat Canzonatta, Buff had to put up the go of his career, and then had to put up with second place. His 3.21 4-5 for a mile and a-half was about equalled in the first mile and a-half of a two mile go by Jewel Chimes on the same track. -Is « V !• Bryce, the Southern trainer, has been doing well since he became a free lance. The Scotchman “cut loose” a very useful mare in Canzonetta at the recent meeting, and she won twice tor her owner, Bert Edwards, who was a good patron of the game in Auckland at one time. Little Grattan Abbey was improved a good deal by M. Edwards while that trainer had him South with him. There is not enough of the handsome little chestnut when it comes to business against the bigger and longerstriding ones, but he is a pretty goer, and a natty reinsman like M. Edwards sets him off. Edwards certainly turns his horses out looking pink and geared right. M. Edwards has many friends and ardent followers in Auckland, and so many who are quite content to back his mounts without asking questions that he drove favourites nearly every time at the recent meeting. * * * * Visiting drivers at the recent meeting had the'.r horses looking bright and well seasoned, and it was plain to notice that a lot of attention had been bestowed on them. * * * :J< Ripon Child was one of the visiting horses to the meeting last week, but apparently the right-handed way puzzled him a bit. He looked well, but was not equal to going up to his best Southern showing. There are some people who make out that the Alexandra Park track is faster than the Southern ones. It may be so, but we are credibly informed that at

least one winner of the visitors did nearly as well in a full distance trial on a private track before it was brought North. Canterbury tracks have been very fast th.s year on account of the dry weather. • • • 4 Trainer Bryce took his four horses back to Christchurch, starting from Auckland by the midday train on Monday. M. Edwards had to wait for ja later opportunity. Mr. Pettie is 'sending Auckland Girl South, and she may start on the second day at the New Brighton meeting. * * V 4 The New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club decided some time ago to make a donation to the Belgium Relief Fund, in the shape of the net profits from the totalisator on the Autumn Handicap at the Easter meeting. The club’s contribution from this source will amount to £172 17s. 4d.