TURF HISTORY

Hokitika Guardian, 17 May 1932, Page 8

TURF HISTORY

PHAR LAP, CARBINE, GLOAMING

THREE GREAT HORSES

LONDON, May 14.

“Country Life,” for April 2nd, publishes an article by “Philippos,” entitled “A Great Horse: Sold for 1(50 guineas as a yearling, Phar Lap is the most famous racehorse in the world today.” At the outset the writer remarks:

There is no hard and fast rule in the breeding and racing of the thoroughbred horse. Take, for instance, the latest example of the great New Zealand horse, Phar Lap. If I describe him as an Australian horse, I should, without question, have the High Commissioner for New Zealand in London (Sir Thomas Wilford) after me.

Phar Lap, who was bred in New Zealand and Australia, sired by a horse imported from England, has proved a great record-breaker in stakes in New Zealand and Australia, especially in Australia....Phar Lap must undoubtedly be a great horse. Steve Donoghue, the jockey, who saw him while on a recent visit to Agua Caliente, tells me that the big chesnut gelding impressed him by his unusual scope liberty, ease of action- and good temper.

Phar Lap might quite likely be brought to England to race here in the autumn, and in that case, on arriving hurie again, he would have completed a trip round the world. Certainly we should welcome him here and would desire to see him rapidy. acclimatised so Licit he would be able to give of his best. The trouble is that if he were beaten it would be urged in extenuation that he had not properly acclimatised or that he was at last going off. He is not exactly a young horse now, and iii the ordinary way one would have expected him before this to have reached the peak of his form. It is rather odd that his sire, Night Paid, was a very moderate horse in England before being shipped to New Zealand to become a great success at the stud there, and indeed, to acquire fame through his son Phar Lap. Yet it is merely another example of the best breeding coming out in the olood. Night Raid was sired by Radium who was one of the last of the progeny of beautiful Pend Or. His dam, cenLiment, was a daughter or Spearmint (by Carbine) from Elair, who broke down after winning the wile Thousand Guineas. A horse named Nigiumarch was also a soli of Night it aid, and New Zealand breeders anu indeed, all New Zealanders, snould oe proud that in the race for tne .Melbourne Cup, of 192 d, New Zea-land-bred horses finished in the first tiiree places. They were Nightmarcii, i'aquico, and Phar Lap . ivLost of the best Horses that ever trod Australian racecourses, going back to the great Carbine, were bred and reared in New Zealand. Its mcister and milder climate makes the rich grasses grow and flourish, and so gives the young stock, whether horses or cattle, the best foodstuffs. Irish breeders will tell you the same about their country.

Phar Lap, 1 have read, vest something like 160 guineas as a yearling. He has won about £66,000 in stakes. 'vV'liat an amazing achievement for a 160-guinea yearling and a gelding, too! As a matter of fact, if he had not been a gelding, one feels that he would not have been able so well to stand the strain of training, racing, and travel ail these years. Gloaming, who was also a great winner bred in New Zealand, was a gelding. It seems such a pity that these splendid racehorses, possessed of such proved grand constitutions, should have been unsexed early in life.

EXCHANGES WITH OTHER

COUNTRIES

“Philipos” further remarks

Tiie curious thing is that horses going from England to any part of the world as a rule, strike their form fairly soon. Possibly the reason is that they may be racing in an inferior class. One could quote so many instances of horses being brought a long distance overseas and failing to do much, if any good here. r lhey were top sawyers in their own countries, and great has been the disappointment when they could not live up to their reputatiohs here. Again, a reast n is that they are coming into the highest class of all. The case of the Australian horse Strophon IT., was rather pathetic. There is no doubt that he was a champion in his own country; but lie never wen a race here, and indeed, lie never looked like doing so. Why, one wonders, did lie never seem to thrive, or i/allop with the zest lie invariably slowed in Australia.

r.onl Woolavington will remember, though lie may have long been trying to forget, an ill-st:rred enterprise he li-fl with a big New Zealand winner named Noctuiform. It was decided to nnv a big sum for him because Merman, a horse from “down under,” Ind actually done very well. Among other successes lie won the Ascot Gold ('up. So I,Old Woolaviugton paid heavily for Noctuiform, and, writing from memory, I do not think the horse ever won a race.

NEW ZEA DANDER'S VTEW. Iri the “Daily Telegraph” before Easter, a Wimbledon rurrespendciil discoursed on the -m-'y h’dmrv of Car bine, wlm was imported ini" Kirn-bud I, v the Duke of Portland. “WimbleYlon,” it nm v I"- r<’<-u!led. wrote t but “ Hs there was no scope fir horses of

his calibre in Now* Zealand, his wa

taken over to Melbourne....lf Now Zealanders are so smart, and .had ah this meat ,butter, cheese and grass, why, oh,, why did they sell Phar Lap for 100 guineas? There js no scope in New Zealand for ' horses to make a name.”

Then “an important representative of New Zealand in London” requested “Hotspur,” of the “Daily Telegraph,’ to publish the accompanying reply, taking at the same time advantage <n tlie opportunity to do a little gratuitous advertising for New Zealand produce.

“ May I answer you Wimbledon correspondent. who makes two statement, and asks one question:-' His fii.-v. statements is to the effect that Carbine was bred by Dan O’Brien. He was not bred by Dan O’Brien, but by the Auckland Stud Company and sold U Dan O’Britn as a yearling. “His second statement is that Plmi Lap was sold for 100 guineas. Phai Lap was not sold for 100 guineas, but for 160 guineas. ‘Having corrected the two statements, may 1 answer you correspondent’s question, which is as follows: ‘if New Zealanders are so smart and ha and this meet, butter, cheese, and grass why, oh, why, did they sell Phar Lap for 100 guineas?” The answer is: Because so many people in Wimbledon and other parts of Great Britain buy Danish butter and cheese and not New Zealand butter and cheese.”

THE DEATH OF PHAR LAP

AMERICAN OPINION OF TRAIN ING.

SAN FRaNCISCO May 14

The passing of Phar Lap continues to be the most important topic of coi. versation among turfmen. They regard his death as the severest blow horse racing ever received, pointing out that the “Australian Ambassador’ would have given the sport the greatest boost it has received in years, oi could possibly have received. Discounting the far-fetched tlieor. that Pliar■ Lap was poisoned, the turfmen contend that two mistakes were made with Phar Lap.

They argue that his powers of resistance were low because lie wasn’t prop rly trained in the United* States, despite his smashing triumph in the Agua Calicnte Handicap. It is their opinion that Phar Lap should have been given at least two preliminary races before he entered the 60,000 dollar event.

It is also their opinion that Phar Lap should not have been allowed to graze so early in the morning, or when dew was still on the grass, particularly if he had been galloped and turned loose to graze before lie had been properly cooled off. American horsemen don’t permit their horses, to graze after a workout until they have been rested and cooled, and neyqr. before the sun has dried the grass.