3 Secrets for this one there is a cave when you go through it you advance ahead in the track greatly you can make it in there without a mushroom but its hard you need too hop right befor you go off the ramp and you will make it ive done it befor second secret is when you are about too go under the mountain turn right and go around it you will find a secret walkway whitch will advance you ahead the track a bit the third one is where you see the ramp that goes up really really high go up it but make sure you have a mushroom go over and and get the box on top of the mountain if you get the box you get a purple spiked shell and you allways get a purple spiked shell from that box!
make sure you have a mushroom when you enter the cave use the mushroom so you can climb the wall and get ahead a bit
when you first find the long paths there is a choice left or right go left and stay left that is the true short cut
when you enter the castle when you find the first thing of bats coming at you turn left you see a star shaped hole in the floor dont fall down you have too jump over it its a shortcut it saves