Tetratema was an Irish bred Thoroughbred

Thoroughbred

The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...

 racehorse

Horse racing

Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...

. Owned by Major Dermot McCalmont, Tetratema was bred at McCalmont's Ballylinch Stud on his Mount Juliet estate in Thomastown

Thomastown

-Landmarks:Kilfane Glen is a restored historic 1790s garden of romantic era with waterfall, woodland walks and cottage orne. The garden is listed as an Irish Heritage garden and was awarded assistance in 1993 by the European Union Cultural Commission...

, County Kilkenny

County Kilkenny

County Kilkenny is a county in Ireland. It is part of the South-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the city of Kilkenny. The territory of the county was the core part of the ancient Irish Kingdom of Osraige which in turn was the core of the Diocese of...

 in Ireland

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

. Out of the dam Scotch Gift, his sire

Father

A father, Pop, Dad, or Papa, is defined as a male parent of any type of offspring. The adjective "paternal" refers to father, parallel to "maternal" for mother...

 was The Tetrarch

The Tetrarch

The Tetrarch was an undefeated Irish Thoroughbred racehorse and an influential sire, who was voted Britain's Two-Year-Old of the 20th Century.-Breeding:...

 whom the National Sporting Library's

National Sporting Library

The National Sporting Library & Museum The National Sporting Library and Museum, located in beautiful, historic Middleburg, Virginia, is dedicated to preserving, promoting, and sharing the literature, art, and culture of horse and field sports...

 Thoroughbred Heritage website says was "probably the greatest two-year-old of all time", and that he was " possibly the greatest runner ever."

At age two, Tetratema showed his sire's speed, winning five important conditions races

Conditions races

Conditions races are horse races where the weights carried by the runners are laid down by the conditions attached to the race. Weights are allocated according to; the sex of the runners, with female runners carrying less weight than males; the age of the runners, with younger horses receiving...

 and earning U.K. Champion 2-Year-Old honors. At three, he won four more important races, the most significant of which was the 2,000 Guineas Classic. On the track at age four, Tetratema continued his winning ways, capturing his second consecutive King George Stakes

King George Stakes

The King George Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Goodwood over a distance of 5 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late July or early August....

 as well as the July Cup

July Cup

The July Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run on the July Course at Newmarket over a distance of 6 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in July....

 before retiring to breeding

Horse breeding

Horse breeding is reproduction in horses, and particularly the human-directed process of selective breeding of animals, particularly purebred horses of a given breed. Planned matings can be used to produce specifically desired characteristics in domesticated horses...

 duty at his owner's Ballylinch Stud.

A successful stallion, in 1929 Tetratema was the leading sire in Great Britain & Ireland

Leading sire in Great Britain & Ireland

The list below shows the leading sire of racehorses in Great Britain and Ireland for each year since 1751. This is determined by the amount of prize money won by the sire's progeny during the season.----- References :* -See also:...

. His sons include Mr. Jinks, winner of the 1929 2,000 Guineas, Royal Minstrel winner of the 1929 Eclipse Stakes

Eclipse Stakes

The Eclipse Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Sandown Park over a distance of 1 mile, 2 furlongs and 7 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in early July.-History:The event is named after Eclipse, a...

, Fourth Hand, 1927 Irish 2,000 Guineas winner, and Four Course, winner of the 1931 1,000 Guineas. Tetratema also sired Myrobella, a multiple stakes winner and the U.K.'s 1932 Champion Two-Year-Old Filly, plus a second U.K. Champion Two-Year-Old, the colt Foray

Foray

A foray was a traditional method of law enforcement in Grand Duchy of Lithuania and Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. In view of the weakness of the executive in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, it was used by members of the szlachta to defend their rights....

.

Tetratema died in 1939 at age twenty-two and is buried at Ballylinch Stud.