Tetratema

Tetratema never contested a maiden race, beginning his racing career by winning the valuable National Breeder's Produce Stakes over five furlongs at Sandown Park Racecourse. At Goodwood in July he was ridden by Carslake to a four length victory in the £850 Molecomb Stakes at odds of 1/2[7] defeating a well-regarded colt named Orpheus, the winner of the New Stakes, "in a canter".[8]

In September, Tetratema returned to win the Champagne Stakes[9] at Doncaster by four lengths and in the following month he won the Imperial Produce Stakes at Kempton by six lengths from two opponents.[10] On his final start of the year he contested Britain's most important two-year-old race, the £3,000 Middle Park Stakes over six furlongs at Newmarket and won by six lengths[11] at odds of 1/4.[7] According to press reports he won very easily, making "mincemeat" of his four opponents.[12]

In the Free Handicap, a rating of the best two-year-olds to have raced in Britain that season, Tetratema was rated twelve pounds clear of his nearest rival.[13] Some contemporary observers were lavish in their praise for the colt, commenting on his "electrical speed" and the "rhythmic perfection" of his action and describing him as "the best horse of his age... a marvel".[14] His earnings for the season totaled £10,951, making him the highest earning racehorse of any age in Britain.[15]

Tetratema began 1920 as a leading contender for the Epsom Derby, but doubts were expressed about whether a horse with such speed could stay longer distances:[16] W. Allison, writing in the London Sportsman doubted that the horse would even be effective over one mile.[17] On his seasonal debut he was tried over seven furlongs in the Greenham Stakes at Newbury Racecourse on 9 April. Racing on heavy ground he took an early lead but was overtaken approaching the final furlong by Silvern to whom he was conceding three pounds. Tetratema appeared to lose his footing in the difficult conditions and although he rallied in the closing stages, he failed by half a length to catch Silvern in a result which was described as a "sensation".[18] On 28 April Tetratema was one of seventeen colts to contest the 2000 Guineas over the Rowley Mile at Newmarket and started at odds of 2/1. He won by half a length from Allenby, with Paragon three lengths further back in third, becoming the first of his colour to win the race since Grey Momus in 1838.[19] Modern sources have given the winning time as 1:43.2, but contemporary hand-timings differed widely, with 1:44.6, 1:43.6 and 1:39.8 all being reported.[20] In the aftermath of the race Tetratema retained his position as Derby favourite ahead of Allenby and the Peter Gilpin-trained Sarchedon,[21] and some experts even considered him a likely Triple Crown winner.[22]

The Derby was run on an unusually hot day in front of an estimated crowd of 250,000 including the King and Queen.[23] Tetratema, the 3/1 favourite, went into an early lead and set an extremely fast pace as he was challenged by Abbot’s Trace (ridden by Steve Donoghue).[24] The favourite was struggling soon after half way and dropped from contention before the straight, eventually finishing unplaced behind the outsider Spion Kop.[24] Two weeks after the Derby, Tetratema was brought back to sprinting at Royal Ascot and won the Fern Hill Stakes by six lengths from the two-year-old Galway Castle. When tested over ten furlongs in the Eclipse Stakes however,[25] he again failed to stay and finished unplaced behind the four-year-old Buchan, who won from Silvern and Allenby.[26]

Tetratema then reverted permanently to sprint distances and was never beaten again. On 28 July he ran in the King George Stakes at Goodwood in which he was opposed by the six-year-old mare Diadem who had won the 1000 Guineas in 1917 before becoming an outstanding sprinter. In what was described as a "splendid duel", Tetratema held off a strong challenge from Diadem to win by three-quarters of a length.[27] Shortly after this race it was reported that McAlmont had refused an offer of £100,000 for the colt which would have more than doubled the highest price ever paid for a British or Irish racehorse.[28] On his final race of the year, Tetratema won the Kennet Three-year-old Stakes over five furlongs at Newmarket.[29]

Tetratema remained in training at four and was undefeated in four races. He began his season in the King's Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot, in which he was opposed by a highly regarded colt named Vencedor. Carrying a weight of 143 pounds Tetratema started at odds of 6/5 won in a time of 1:01.8. Although the winning margin was only a length he was described as the easiest winner of the meeting, and it was implied that he could have won by much further had Carslake desired.[30] After winning the July Cup from the filly Princess of Mars,[31] he contested the King George Stakes at Goodwood in which he was opposed by Orpheus, who had won the Champion Stakes in October 1920. He was ridden with great confidence by Carslake, who never resorted to the whip as Tetratema won by a length from Orpheus, ending the race as if he had had no more than an exercise gallop. Some commentators, however, felt that the race would have been closer but for the indifferent performance of Orpheus' jockey, Hector Grey.[32]

Although his retirement was announced in August,[33] Tetratema returned to the track in October to end his racing career in the Snailwell Stakes over five furlongs at Newmarket. Carrying 136 pounds he won easily in a time of 1:01.6.[34] At the end of the year he was retired to breeding duty at his owner's Ballylinch Stud.[35]