Chapter 01
An Unlikely Beginning
Phar Lap was born in Timaru, New Zealand, in 1926. His name is commonly associated with the idea of lightning, an appropriate description of the speed he later displayed.
As a young horse he was quiet and unremarkable. He became especially attached to stablehand Tommy Woodcock and was initially considered lazy and awkward.
Chapter 02
The Rise of a Champion
Phar Lap finished last on his racecourse debut and failed to place in his next three starts. His first victory came at Rosehill in 1929 and marked the beginning of a dramatic transformation.
He went on to dominate Australian racing, winning the Melbourne Cup in 1930 and compiling a long sequence of major victories.
Chapter 03
Dominance in Australia
Phar Lap won 37 of his 51 races. His superiority was so great that handicappers repeatedly increased the weights he had to carry in an effort to make races more competitive.
He won many of Australia’s major races and became a public hero during the difficult years of the Great Depression.
Chapter 04
The Agua Caliente Triumph
One of Phar Lap’s greatest achievements came in the Agua Caliente Handicap in Mexico in March 1932.
He travelled by ship to San Francisco and then by road to Tijuana, faced unfamiliar heat and raced on dirt for the first time. Despite the difficult preparation, he defeated leading North American horses.
Chapter 05
Death and Enduring Legacy
Phar Lap died suddenly in California in April 1932. His death generated enduring controversy and suspicion, although the exact circumstances have been debated for decades.
His hide is preserved in Melbourne, his skeleton in New Zealand and his heart in Canberra. Together they symbolise the extraordinary place he holds in both Australian and New Zealand racing history.