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NAPPER TANDY WINS AT TWENTYTWO Career of an Ancient English Horse at War and Nobody can say what Is the greatest age at which a horse has ever won a race In bygone days when horses did not begin to race till later in life than they start at present there may have been a phenomenal veteran of whose exploits record has long disappeared Of living animals I should be disposed to say that Napper Tandy holds the record E Clive Fowler is gond enough to send me some details about the old son of Ireland and Sweet Ethel which has been doing his bit as a troop horse in France almost I believe since the outbreak of the war He was however cast and came into the possession of Captain Bennett Vet ¬ erinary Corps Napper Tandys identity had never been lost and his rider must have felt proud at him Captain Bennett was brought up to know horses His father used to train and the son seeing that he is in the Veterinary Corps has evidently improved his early knowledge lie filed the old horses teeth got iim fit and proceeded to win three steeplechases in France then took him to Egypt and in the land of the Pharaohs won a flat race What sort of animals constituted the opposition I am not informed but it is quite likely that there were some respectable competitors for a number of thoroughbreds known to English race ¬ goers have been sent out one I bap en to know about having been Scots Saint winner of the Liver ¬ pool Spring Cup in 1913 which presented by Mr Hutton to Captain M Lee son of Major W F Lee the handicapper served that gallant officer as a perfect charger until his death in battle battleNapper Napper Tandy is now twentytwo There can be no doubt as to his age He canie out as a fouryearold in 1901 for the Farmers race of fiOO over the Fairyhouse course at the Ward Union Hunt meeting finishing fourth in a field of thir ¬ teen behind Dandy Dan Mr Atty Persse trainer of The Tetrarch supposing that there is anybody who does riot know the famous Stockbridge trainers performances being on the second a mare called Mysterious Lady Later on Mr Persse rode Nap ¬ per Tandy yoii the Downsnlre Plato when the horse was a sixyearold I think his first appear ¬ ance in England was at Maiden Erlegh a few months afterward when Percy Woodland in the saddle he ran behind S B Joels Mintstalk F Mason up and his fkst English success was at Sandown when Percy Woodland again riding he took a selling steeplechase for Sir Charles Nugent from Mr Bottomleys Adansi He was judiciously bought in for 850 good business as lie won the next two races not sellers the second was the Prince of Wales Steeplechase at Sandown where he beat such real good ones as Dumcne winner of the Liverpool Leamongton Pride of Mabestown Cusliendmi Seisdon Prince and Strategy among others In 1905 Napper Tandy ran second to Frank Bibbys good horse Ivirkland for the National beaten three lengths That as far as it goes is the his ¬ tory of the recent Egyptian winner Gareth in London Referee
