TARTAN.

NZ Truth, Issue 124, 2 November 1907, Page 2

TARTAN.

Tartan, who shares with Poisedon the position of "King- of the Turf" m Australasia at present, has a peculiar interest for New Zealanders (writes "Spreader") from tfae fact of his close relationship to Achilles and Ginsv Grand, twb erstwhile champions of Maoriland. Bred by Mr Francis Foy at Parkes m New South Wales, his pedigree" on the sire's side is a blend of Lbchiel and Grandmaster, two of the stoutest strains m the southern part of the world, and begetters : of many chamnions. ■ . ■ '■ ■ Both Tartan and Gipsy Grand claim (imp.) Wild Fire (Wild Oats, sire of 'Gozo)y Dynamite (by Musket) as their sc.g.-dam on the dam's side whilst Nereid, the dam of Achilles, claims Mrs Waller as rr.-dam, who, m turn, was the g.s.ff.-dam of Colors, the dam of Tartan, Tartan started his career practically as a four-year-old, winnine three races m that year, including the Sydney Cup, m which race he carried 7 13, and covered the two miles m 3.27. beatins; Canteen's N.Z. Cup .time by onefifth sec. with a pound more on his back, and establishing a record for Australasia. In the next year hfe won eiVht races out of fourteen starts, iwlwlinc the Australian Cup (%)>' milesV 9.6', also the Champion . Stakes. Until his entry :. into, the : ranks aprais : this sprinf he has done . notnin>; h.ivi-n* hem on the slieif for eif-W^rn months. v ■ ■ ', 1 He kas teeen kawdicapßed at 9;9 for

the Melbourne. Cup. which is the only bi^ handicap race m which his name has figured fchis season, and if tooth he and Pqisedon start m the Cup, Poseidon will 'now occupy the post of honor, as his 101 b penalty, consequent on the Caulfield Cup win, will bring his weight up to 10.3, or 21fe short of what the mighty Carbine carried successfully to the foxe m 1890. Tartan started m the Randwick Stakes last week, and finished well m front of a fair field with a" 9.7 burden, which leads one to believe he has struck something of his old form. If Tartan, as a great number of the "heads" m N.S. Wales seem to think, has come back for a second time on earth, one cannot help giving him a big, fat chance m Tuesday's race under 9.9. Take his run m the Australian Cup of 1906 as a line to go by. In that race he carried 9.6, and cut the two miles and a-quarter out m 3.58f , a grand performance, only apprbx. 1£ seconds slower than Seahorse's record at Riecarton, with two stonfe the worse of the- weights, and it must be remembered a second difference m a 2i--mile race has not the same significance that it would have m a sprint. It must. also be remembered that Tartan, apart from holding this record m the Sydney Cun, was also a placed horse m the fastest Melbourne Cup on record, when he humped 9.0 into third place behind Blue Spec 8.0, and Scott Free 7.7. m 3.27£. Poisedon's best performance over two miles so far, was m the Melbourne Cup last year, when -he carried 7.6, and won m 3.31-jk Tartan .must be a ''tough rag"- after. ' ei"-h---,teen months' spell, including stud duty and dry-docking for repairs owing to an argument with a" station fence, to account for ttie Randwick Plate m such a . decisive manner Anyhow, the writer ventures to say .that, given ■a f fine :.- day -and a fair run, with just the proverbial ounce of luck, . Mr J. J. Macken's old staffer will fee mighty handy at the business- end" of. next' - Tuesday's Ciip m Melbourne. . Just a'tjuid for old times sake ;. may be more for what, he was than what he is, but if ]ty any chance he is what he was •'/and why not'? 1 ), it's . a cert, on paper. . . .._'./'.' ; -