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Phar Lap
The best Phar Lap multi-media website ever created.



Phar Lap (4 October 1926 -- 5 April 1932) was a champion New Zealand bred Thoroughbred racehorse who is widely regarded as New Zealand's and Australia's greatest racehorse ever. Achieving incredible success during his distinguished career, his initial underdog status gave people hope during the early years of the Great Depression. He won the Melbourne Cup, two Cox Plates, the Australian Derby, and 19 other weight-for-age races. One of his greatest performances was winning the Agua Caliente Handicap in Mexico in track-record time in his final race. He won in a different country, after a bad start many lengths behind the leaders, with no training before the race, and he split his hoof during the race.

After a sudden and mysterious illness, Phar Lap died in 1932 in Atherton, California. At the time, he was the third-highest stakes-winner in the world. His mounted hide is displayed at the Melbourne Museum, his skeleton at the Museum of New Zealand, and his heart at the National Museum of Australia. Phar Lap was called "The Wonder Horse," "The Red Terror," and "Big Red" (the latter nickname was also given to two of the greatest United States racehorses, Man o' War and Secretariat). He was affectionately known as "Bobby" to his strapper Tommy Woodcock. He was also sometimes referred to as "Australia's Wonder Horse." According to the Museum of Victoria, Aubrey Ping, a medical student at the University of Sydney, suggested "farlap" as the horse's name. Ping knew the word from his father, a Zhuang-speaking Chinese immigrant. Farlap meant Lightning in Chinese. Phar Lap's trainer Harry Telford liked the name, but changed the F to PH to create a seven letter word, which was split in two in keeping with the dominant naming pattern of Melbourne Cup winners.

In the four years of his racing career, Phar Lap won 37 of 51 races he entered, including the Melbourne Cup, being ridden by Jim Pike, in 1930 with 9 st 12 lb (138 pounds (63 kg)). In that year and 1931, he won 14 races in a row. From his win as a three-year-old in the VRC St. Leger Stakes until his final race win in Mexico, Phar Lap won a remarkable 32 of 35 races. In the three races that he did not win, he ran second on two occasions, beaten by a short head and a neck, and in the 1931 Melbourne Cup he finished eighth when carrying an excessive 10 st 10 lb (150 pounds (68 kg) added.

Early on 5 April 1932, the horse's strapper for the North American visit, Tommy Woodcock, found him in severe pain and with a high temperature. Within a few hours, Phar Lap hemorrhaged to death in Tommy's arms. An autopsy revealed that the horse's stomach and intestines were inflamed, leading many to believe the horse had been deliberately poisoned. There have been alternative theories, including accidental poisoning from lead insecticide and a stomach condition.

Listen to a Tribute to Phar Lap while viewing the slideshow. The Phar Lap Death Conspiracy!



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Winning the 1932 Agua Caliente Handicap in Mexico Pharlap Winning the 1930 Melbourne Cup

Phar Lap - Australia National Treasures Phar Lap's Muscularity - Reason for speed!

Phar Lap Musical Tribute
watch and listen while viewing the Slideshow below!		Phap Lap & Tommy Woodcock
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Phar Lap Slideshow

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Beau Productions (BP) Historical Trading Card
Collectable Phar Lap Historical Trading Cards

If you are interested in the Historical Trading Cards(same as baseball cards)
as shown below you may purchase on eBay for as little as $8.00 or less.
10% of the Gross Sales are donated to Charity.

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Click the images above to view Phar Lap's Historical Trading Card on EBay




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