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Phar Lap (4 October 1926 – 5 April 1932) was a New Zealand-born champion Australian Thoroughbred racehorse. Achieving great success during his distinguished career, his initial underdog status gave people hope during the early years of the Great Depression. [ 3 ] He won the Melbourne Cup, two Cox Plates, the Australian Derby, and 19 other ...
- Phar Lap Was Bought at Auction For only $336
- His Name Means Lightning
- Phar Lap Was Tall For A Racehorse
- Phar Lap Had An Abnormally Large Heart
- Phar Lap Set A Record at The Melbourne Cup
- Phar Lap Had No Offspring
- Phar Lap Had A Close Relationship with His Handler Tommy Woodcock
- Phar Lap Has A Movie Based on Him
- Mystery Surrounds Phar Death
- Phar Lap’s Taxidermied Remains Resides at The Melbourne Museum
Phar Lap was purchased as a yearling at an auction for only 160 guineas, which is the equivalent of $336. Today that would be about $700, which is a steal for a horse that turned out to be so successful. Phar Lap was purchased for David Davis, an American entrepreneur living in Australia, by his brother Hugh. Davis had his brother purchase the ches...
Phar Lap’s name is derived from the Zhuang and Thai word for lightning, ฟ้าแลบ or farlap. According to the Museum of Victoria, a medical student at the University of Sydney by the name of Aubrey Ping suggested naming the horse “farlap.” Telford liked the idea, but changed the F to a Ph to give it seven letters and split the name in two. He was said...
At 17.1 hands tall, Phar Lap was taller than the average Thoroughbred, which is around 16 hands. His height gave him an advantage on the race track, as he was known for having a long stride. Despite being gangly as a yearling, the gelding eventually grew into his height. In comparison, racing legends Man o’ War and Secretariat stood at 16.2 hands t...
Part of Phar Lap’s success was due to his abnormally large heart. Phar Lap’s heart weighed around 14 pounds, which is about double the size of an average horse’s heart. After his death, his heart was donated to the Australian Institute of Anatomy. It now remains on display at the National Museum Australia. The phrase ‘a heart as big as Phar Lap’s’ ...
Phar Lap won the Melbourne Cup in 1930 by two meters. He set the record for the shortest odds winner at 8-11, which he still holds today. The chestnut also raced in the Melbourne Cup in 1929 and 1931. In 1929, he came in third place, and in 1931 he came in eighth place. In 1931, setting one of the top weights on record for the race, carrying a whop...
Despite being one of the most successful racehorses ever, Phar Lap has no offspring. The decision was made to geld him at a young age, so his only focus would be racing. Telford made the choice so the horse wouldn’t get distracted by the idea of breeding during his racing career.
Phar Lap’s best mate was perhaps his handler, Tommy Woodcock. Woodcock started as a stable boy at Telford’s stable and soon grew close to the racehorse. When traveling, Woodcock would sleep outside of the Thoroughbred’s stall and would often indulge him with handfuls of sugar cubes. He even taught the horse some tricks such as sticking out his tong...
In 1983, the movie Phar Lap(also released under the title Phar Lap: Heart of a Nation) hit the big screen. The movie told the story of Phar Lap’s success as a racehorse followed by his untimely death. Featured in our list of the best horse racing movies, Phar Lapwas first released in Australia before making its way to America. The American version ...
Sadly, Phar Lap died on April 5, 1932 at only five years old. Woodcock found the horse in severe pain and running a high temperature. Within a few hours, Phar Lap died in Woodcock’s arms. An autopsy was performed and it was revealed that the gelding’s stomach and intestines were inflamed. Theories of how he died began to arise, with some saying he ...
After his tragic death, Phar Lap’s remains were taxidermied. After being stuffed by New York City taxidermists, his remains were sent to the Australia Gallery at Melbourne Museum where they still reside today. His skeleton was sent for display to the National Museum of New Zealand in Wellington.
Sep 28, 2022 · Phar Lap is a legend of Australian sporting history. His sensational rise from humble beginnings captured the public’s imagination during the difficult years of the 1930s Great Depression. Phar Lap won 37 races from 51 starts, including the 1930 Melbourne Cup. His death in the United States in 1932 prompted an outpouring of anger and grief.
Nov 6, 2023 · Phar Lap’s famous 1930 Melbourne Cup victory united Australia and New Zealand in celebration. Almost a century on, people still flock to visit his remains, on display at three different museums.
- Katie Pickles
Nov 6, 2023 · Phar Lap ran for the last time on March 20, 1932, at Agua Caliente Racetrack in Tijuana, Mexico, after a high seas crossing. In Wincer’s original cut of the film, the death of Phar Lap in Northern California from a mysterious cause, 15 days after his victory in the $50,000 Agua Caliente Handicap, opens the film, while in the North American version, the agonizing final hours of the horse are ...
Mar 20, 2018 · Phar Lap was a champion racehorse who was foaled in New Zealand in 1926 and mostly raced in Australia. He dominated Australian racing, winning major races such as The Melbourne Cup, two Cox Plates ...
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Phar Lap’s heart. Phar Lap’s heart is one of the icons of the National Museum’s collection. It weighs 6.35 kgs. This is more than 1.5 times the weight of an average thoroughbred racehorse heart, which weighs 3–4 kgs. Phar Lap’s heart was returned to Australia for testing after his sudden death in the United States in 1932.
