WHO KILLED PHAR LAP?
Sir -Your article. "Who Killed Phar Lap?" caught my eye, and I read it with keen interest. But your contributor, in all his inquiries, never got the correct answer. Here it is. It started in’ Australia, when Phar Lap was hard ridden
to beat Mystic Peak, in the V.A.T.C. Futurity Stakes, 10 rffiners (21/2/31). He and Mystic Peak ran head and head over the last furlong and, desperately tidden, Phar Lap won by a neck; Phar Lap 10.3, Mystic Peak 10.2. Two days later, in our morning paper, people got a shock to see that Phar Lap was a wreck and might never race again. Later on Pike told a reporter that he knew he had strained Phar Lap, as he used the whip heavily. Anyway, the horse got over it well and was racing again in about three weeks. Later on he went to America and started in the Agua Caliente Handicap. Now for the race. Up went the barrier and away they went,.under the whip and going as fast and as far as their stamina would let them. Of course, they soon left Phar Lap a good way behind, but as ysoon as he struck his stride he was also going at top. (He always raced flat out; couldn’t be held back or he would choke and soon be blown.) He quietly began to make up on the rear horses, At four furlongs he was still in the rear, but was soon in among them, At a mile he was getting close to the front, at nine furlongs he was in the lead, and seemed to have the race in hand. Half a furlong from home he was two lengths to the good; but on glancing back, his jockey saw two horses coming at him. Not knowing how much they might have in hand, and knowing all the world would be looking forward to the result, he up with the whip and gave Phar Lap a hard cut. The horse, although flat out, would give a strain and try to do a bit more, but couldn't. It was only a flash in the pan on the part of the American horses, and Phar Lap won by a length in 2min. 2sec. When the jockey used his whip, Phar Lap strained his stomach again-only this second time it was worse. And that is what caused Phar Lap’s death.
R. W.
MOFFI'T
(Napier.)
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New Zealand Listener, Volume 32, Issue 805, 24 December 1954, Page 5
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407WHO KILLED PHAR LAP? New Zealand Listener, Volume 32, Issue 805, 24 December 1954, Page 5
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