PHAR LAP'S RIDER.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 264, 7 November 1932, Page 7

PHAR LAP'S RIDER.

ELLIOT IN AUCKLAND. "HE WAS NOT POISONED." DEATH STIIiI. A MYSTERY. STORY OP HIS LAST RACE. "Phar Lap, in my opinion, was not poisoned." W. F. Elliot, the famous rider of that famous horse, told a highly interesting story of Phar Lap's triumph at Agua Caliente, and of his tragic death after the race when he arrived in Auckland this morning by the Mariposa. He is on his way back to his home in Melbourne with his wife,.after riding with considerable success in America.

"No, I do not think Phar Lap was poisoned," said Elliot. "But I can tell you only what the veterinary surgeons and the experts told nie. The postmortem and analysis carried out by the Hooper • Foundation in San Francisco revealed that there was not enough poison, in Phar Lap's intestines to have caused death. Poor Phar Lap swelled up as though suffering from colic. He must have been in great pain, but he did not show, it. He died at two o'clock on the afternoon of April 5. It was a terrible blow. Phar Lap was the greatest horse any jockey could ever ride. He was more than a wonder horse. There was no horse in America that could have beaten him; in fact when fit and well he would have beaten any horse in the world. That also was the opinion , of leading American trainers."

Now the dead Phar Lap has been mounted, and at present is being exhibited in San Francisco. Elliot said the taxidermist had made a splendid job of the mounting. The horse's ears did not stand up as they did in life, and in some places the skin had wrinkled, but there were not many' defects. Mr. Davis, joint-owner, told Elliot that the horse would be sent to New Zealand by the Monowai, which is due at Wellington next week. The Race Described. "It was a great race," said Elliot, in describing Phar. Lap's triumph at'Agua Caliente. "Phar Lap stood well at the barrier, and broke well. The rest of the field beat him for early pace, but I was content to stay behind and dodge the dust and stones which were being flung up from the dirt track. I soon realised that Phar Lap did not like the dirt flying in his face, and I eased him out a little. At the half-mile I was lying fifth, and I decided to move up. He went through and to the front without any effort, and after that the race was never in doubt. I let Phar Lap have a breather at the turn, and it was at that, stage that Reveille Boy ran up to him. The crowd thought Phar Lap was beaten, but there was never the slightest doubt in 'my mind. I let him go, and from that point on he won as he liked."

Six times Elliot rode Phar Lap-to victory, and it was after, winning the Melbourne Cup last year that Mr. Telford, joint-owner of Phar Lap, asked the jockey if he would ride the horse on its American tour. "Phar Lap had a marvellous temperament—a better temperament than any horse I have ever seen," said Elliot. "Nothing ever upset him, and the only time I ever saw him excited at all was after winning at Agua Caliente when they placed a garland of flowers round his neck.' We were given a great ovation."

Elliot said that Phar Lap -was the talk of the American racing world. People travelled miles to see him exercising at Menlo Park, Mr. Ed. Perry's ranch at San Francisco. People were allowed to put their children on Phar Lap's back and photograph him. When he died' the racing people of America were affected just as much as those whose duty it was to care for tim. Mr. Perry erected a tombstone over his grave costing 12,000 dollars.

Mounts in America.

After the death of Phar Lap, Elliot rode with considerable success at Tanforan, San Francisco, Arlington Park and Washington Park, Chicago, Bellmont Park, New York, and Lincolnsfield. He rode about 12 winners for Mr. Willis Sharpe Kilmer, the biggest breeder in America and owner of Sun Beau, which was regarded as a likeiy rival to Phar Lap. He did not have much luck at New York, riding orfiy seconds and thirds.

The standard of racing in and around San Francisco was not high, said Elliot, and he believed that any of the Australian and New Zealand horses could beat the best there. The standard improved considerably in Chicago, and the best in America were to be found in New York. Some of the American jockeys were very good and some were very poor. The system of payment was different from that in Australia. In America, jockeys were paid 25 dollars for a win and 10 dollars for a loss. It would not matter if a jockey won a stake worth £50,000, he would still be paid his 25 dollars. In Australia, jockeys were paid 5 per cent of the stake money. The method of conducting meetings was far better in Australia and New Zealand than in America. Phar Lap's tour, he believed, would have helped American racing considerably. Everybody wanted to see the great horse.

Before , Elliot left Mexico lie was given a reference from the Agua Caliente Jockey Club. It read: "On your departure from our racing territory following your triumph, on Phar Lap in the Agua Caliente Handicap, the stewards desire to express their pleasure and gratification of your commendable ari'd satisfactory riding at the meeting. We are appreciative of the manner in which you maintained your course and retained your position after passing the leading horse, whereas our riders have a habit of taking the rails aa quickly as possible. We can admit readily that we have something to learn from Trainer Woodcock and Jockey Elliot. With sincere wishes for continued success of you both." The reference is signed l>y Francis Nelson on behalf of the stewards.