Phar Lap

Although Phar Lap only raced at the Melbourne Cup twice during his career, winning it once, there is little doubt that he is one of the most brilliant racehorses ever to have run at Flemington Park on Cup Day.

Phar Lap’s unusual name was suggested to his trainer Harry Telford by Aubrey Ping, a Chinese immigrant friend who regularly visited Randwick racecourse. It was Ping who suggested that Telford give the foal the Zhuang name for lightning.

Early Career

As is the case with so many legendary racehorses, Phar Lap had a very poor start to his career. Legend has it that his owner, David J. Davis, was so furious with Telford when he saw the ungainly foal for the first time that Telford offered to train Phar Lap for free.

Phar Lap got off to a dismal start in thoroughbred racing, finishing his first race in last place. In the races that followed Phar Lap failed to improve and didn’t achieve a single show before winning unexpectedly at a novices handicap at Rosehill in September of 1929.

A Legend is Born

Once Phar Lap had picked up his first win his fortunes reversed dramatically, and he began winning consistently whilst entering higher quality races. A year into his career he was virtually unbeatable, and in 1930 claimed the Melbourne Cup as one of a string of 14 race victories that included the VRC St. Leger Stakes.

His success on the racetrack turned Phar Lap into a star virtually overnight, and crowds flocked to watch the great racehorse in action. In 1931 Phar Lap ran at his second Melbourne Cup, but came in 8^th place due to the crippling weight handed to him by wary handicappers.

Phar Lap’s success story had a tragic end. In 1932 he was shipped to Mexico to take part in the Agua Caliente Handicap for a record purse, which he won by breaking the track record by several seconds. The euphoria following his victory turned to grief when he was poisoned with arsenic by illegal bookmakers.

Today Phar Lap’s enormous heart lies preserved at the National Museum of Australia. At almost double the size of a normal horse’s heart it is one of the most popular exhibits at the museum. Phar Lap has been honoured with a life-size bronze statue on the grounds of Flemington racecourse.