PHAR LAP’S OWNER

Hokitika Guardian, 7 December 1932, Page 6

PHAR LAP’S OWNER

RETURN FROM AMERICA

FUTURE PLANS UNCERTAIN

AUCKLAND, December 5

“Well it gets into the blood. I started a job which 1 feel that 1 did not finish,” remarked Mr J. D. Davis, part-owner of Phar Lap, \VnO is hoifieward bound on the Monterey, when asked this morning if he would take another horse over to meet the American champions.

Since the death of his groat horse in April last, Mr Davis has been living in America, and be was keen during his short stay in Auckland to-day to go out to Takaniiii and see for the first time his three-year-old Pillow Fight, which has given evidence of developing into a brilliant horse. Mr Davis is indefinite as to his plans, but said that be would probably make further visits to America a?nd, provided that he had a horse of sufficient qualifications, he would take it there. Phar Lap’s one victory gave him greater pleasure than any of his many successes in Australia, for the mission to the Un : tod States had been under taken against considerable practical advice. Naturally he wished Phar Lap had had further opportunities of competing against the best thoroughbreds of America., Though it was too early for hint to express any opinion as to tiio likelihood of Pillow Fight being clio-en to fulfil his ambition, it was fairly evident tliht Mr Davis bad such hopes for his three-year-old. American sympathy with Air Davis in the death of Phar Lap was expressed in a remarkable manner. People in'all parts of the great continent sent messages expressing their regret, and many of them had never been on a racecourse in their lives. “Phar Lap’s visit created a national interest,” Mr Davis said “greater than any other horse in the history of American racing.” Among the thousands of messages of sympathy were many from school children in whom love of a fine ariimpl is inherent. Typical,of the messag s sent was one from a woman to the trainer, T Woodcock. In it she said that she had never seen a horse race, but when she read from a street car a billboard announcing Plnr Lap’s death she had burst into tears.

Regarding the death of •Phar Lap, Mr Davis reputed any suggestion that tlie house was * deliberately poisoned. He was inclined to the opinion that the horse’s dramatic end was caused by the eating of alfalfa grass on which the morning dew had fallen, sufficient in itself to cause colie, and the fact that the wind had carried leaves from tree s sprayed with arsenate of lead into the paddock wnere Plntr Lap was grazing.