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ROYAL AGRICULTURAL
SOCIETY OF QUEENSLAND |
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Equine Hall of Fame
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Phar Lap  Phar Lap is universally regarded as being the best racehorse foaled in Australasia in the 20th century. From an awkward yearling he grew into a magnificent thoroughbred and became the idol of millions. Today he is the most celebrated horse in Australian racing history. Phar Lap was foaled in New Zealand in 1926 and came to Australia in 1929. He was unplaced in eight of his first nine starts but after running second in September 1929, he won 36 of his remaining 41 starts. On his death Phar Lap’s record stood at 51 starts, 37 wins, 2 seconds and 2 thirds. A few days before the 1930 Melbourne Cup, Phar Lap was shot at from a moving car in a dramatic attempt on his life. He was unharmed and went to win the Cup, as the shortest priced favourite ever at 11/8 on. His string of five straight wins in a fortnight during the 1930 Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival has never been beaten. In early 1932 Phar Lap left Australia to race in the Agua Caliente Handicap in Mexico. He won the event in race record time and was acclaimed by the local press ‘the world’s greatest racehorse’. Phar Lap was transferred to a farm near San Francisco to prepare for an American racing campaign. On the morning of April 5 1932, Phar Lap was found by his trainer in pain and with a high temperature. He died at midday. The cause of his death has never been established but it is thought he was accidentally poisoned. The whole of Australia mourned. Today Phar Lap’s hide is on display at the Melbourne Museum. Photograph courtesy Image Library, State Library of New South Wales
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