Tom George: Tartak ready to show his true colours

Tom George has promised that racing fans will see a very different Tartak in the Peterborough Chase to the one who failed to deliver in his first two runs this season.

Tartak slammed the useful Deep Purple in a Grade 2 chase at Aintree last spring, but disappointed on his return to action at the same course, finishing a distant last behind Monet's Garden in the Old Roan Chase.

On his most recent start Tartak came home last of eight finishers in the valuable Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham.

But the Gloucestershire-based George expects a much better performance in the 2m4f Grade 2 contest at Huntingdon a week tomorrow.

He said: "He's going for the Peterborough Chase and I expect him to put up a better showing.

"He has needed a run or two to wake him up and, like last year, we hope he'll get better as the season goes on. I took him to Newbury for a racecourse gallop on Sunday and he looked superb.

"At Cheltenham he was on the bridle at the top of the hill, but what we found out is that he doesn't get two miles and five furlongs on heavy ground."

George also says Nacarat is still on course for the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day and is none the worse for being pulled up in the Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury on Saturday - a race won by World Hurdle favourite Big Buck's.