THE TURF

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXII, Issue 11493, 21 November 1931, Page 10

THE TURF

“BOBBY,” ALIAS BEAR LAP. AT HOME WITH THE GALLOPING WONDER. “Bobby!” , “Bobby” quickly turned liis head. 110 pricked up his ears, and his great, intelligent eyes showed that ho recognised the kindly voice of his master. Tho speaker, writes Leslie R. Freeman, in the “Melbourne Argus,” was Mr. 11. R. Telford, and “Bobby” was Phar Lap, known throughou b the racing world as one of tho greatest gallopers of all time. Ho had just returned from his afternoon exercise on Mr. Telford’s private track at Bracside Park, Mordialloc, and had cooled down after a display of prancing and reefing that was surprising to those who did not understand him. Phar Lap was led with a stout rope ):ty liis trusted attendant, “Tommy” Woodcock, and the sight of admiring visitors excited him. “He gets a bit rowdy after his afteruoou exorcise, hub it is just playfulness,” remarked Mr. Telford, who added that blie champion did not have a vice. Often when Phar Lap, has a “rowdy” spasm Woodcock experiences many anxious moments, for if tho gelding broke loose while in that playful mood lie might do himself irreparable harm. On a racecourse, surrounded by excited crowds and tlio babel of voices, lie is as quiet as an old draught horse, bub he seems to know that green pastures wore meant for horses to play in. Phar Lap is just a liorse. Call him a “freak”, a “galloping machine,” an “equine wonder,” if you care to, but bo remains a horse. Put him on green pastures with tho commonest horses known to roan, and lie would at once become one of them, would join in their pranks, and would eat off the same “table.” Social distinctions are unknown in the equine world, and Phar Lap would as soon associate with a cab-horse as with a Carbine. Gloaming’s companion, was a common-looking pony, and Ammon lta shares his joys and troubles with a spaniel. Everybody knows that. Phar Lap lives “in the purple.” As a yearling he was extremely plain and angular, and few people wore impressed by him. When this despised son of Night Raid and Entreaty entered tho sale ring in New Zealand Mr.. Telford was not present. But as a student of breeding he had observed the youngster's lines, and he had induced Mr. D. J.

Davis to purchase him. When Mr. Davis saw the animal for which he had paid 160 guineas he remarked: “Ho looks like a greyhound.” Mr. Telford retained faith in his judgment, and he offered to take a lease of the horse. Mr. Davis readily acquiesced. That is how Mr. Telford came to acquire the gelding who is now within roach of the world’s stake-winning record. As a youngster Phar Lap was rather wayward, and for sheer joy he would often indulge in antics expected only from buck-jumpers in Wild West shows. In one such show there was a notorious buck-jumper known as Bobs. DU. Telford borrowed the name, and bestowed it upon his now famous gelding. Phar Lap is now “Bobby” to everyone in the stable. Now, in bis fifth year. he. has lost his wayward habits, and an occasional outbreak is no more, than an expression of high spirits or a response to the irresistible call, of green pastures. In stable and stall he is docility itself.

ANXIOUS DAYS IN THE STABLE

Few people will stop to realise tho amount of ea.ro tiiai bus been necessary to produce the champion’s perfect condition and the mental strain entailed. The attempt to kill or maim Phar Lap just before tho Cup last year and threats to injure him this rear meant anxious days and nights for Mr. Telford and Wbodcock ; botli wore relieved when the champion’s spring engagements had been fulfilled. Woodcock had his sleeping quarters in the stable building, and ho slept “with one eye open” during the vital period before the Clip race.

Contrary Lo that which some people may imagine, Phar Lap is not pampered. His stable is no more luxurious than are the stables of Ins companions, and. his food is the ordinary diet of the thoroughbred. At daybreak each day the stable is astir, and before most people are out of their beds the ‘horses are on their way to the training track. Phar Lap is led Uy Woodcock, and often Mr. Telford’s five-year-old son is seated proudly on tlio champion’s back. When young Telford is in the saddle Phar Lap seems to know what is expected of him, and ho does not give tho slightest trouble. Before he was aged two years tho boy had his first ride oil tlio animal which lie describes as “my horse”, and he is still as proud as ever when lie is seated on its broad Lack. The training track is a racecourse without tho grandstands; indeed, it is three tracks—of grass, sand, and tan. Many thousands of pounds have been spent in top-dressing, fencing, draining, and watering the track which is a mile and a quarter in circumference. Here Phar Lap is given his morning gallop, which varies according to his condition. He is always eager for his work, and often he wants continue after,Mr. Telford has decided that he has had enough. A light stable boy is employed to fide him, and only on rare occasions is ho galloped against a stop-watch. Tho gallop over, he is taken to the rolling shed. It is:natural-for horses; to roll, and a generous supply of sand allows them to take tho exercise in safety. •.

( Although they aro pampered by comparison with: ordinary ' utility horses, thoroughbreds suffer the disability of not enjoying the freedom of their less distinguished brothers. \V,hen Phar Lap has beep hosed and groomed after his morning, exercise h'o is placed in his stall, and. ho remain 6 .there until it is . tim© for his : afternocin exercise. To allow him the freedom of the paddocks when life is in training Would be fatal; apart fropi the risk of his injuring himself while in a playful mood, he would take his fill of tho rich grass

that abounds at JBraesido. Thoroughbreds must not cat between meals when they are in racing condition, but they must conform to the feeding routine of the stable. The mangers are replenished three or four times ii day, according to bow a particular horse is “doing”. A hearty cater is known as a “good doer/’ and Pliar Lap is so called. When Phar Lap “goes off bis food” there is consternation in the stable. Mr. Telford and Woodcock hold a hurried consultation, and if the trouble is diagnosed as “liver” or some such complaint the patient is given a dose of medicine. Telford admits that ho becomes alarmed at the slightest symptom of indisposition. Some distinguished racehorses have collapsed suddenly and died after having appeared' to be in robust health. The slightest signs of sickness must not therefore, he disregarded. When. Pliar Lap won the Futurity Stakes at jDaufield in February, carrying lOst 31b., including a penalty of 201 b., he was not thoroughly “wound up.” and the effort was considerable. Subsequently AVatcrlino defeated him in the C. M. Lloyd Stakes at Flcmington. A long spell on the pastures at Bacchus Marsh followed and Phar Lap eventually regained his health. A “DIG. HEART.” “An ordinary horse,” remarked Mr. Telford, discussing the illness and the events .which led up to it, “would probably have lost Ins brilliance after such an. ordeal, hut Pliar Lap lias a big heart. To become a leader of his fellows a man must have a brig heart, and so it is with a racehorse.”.

The following is a. story, told in print for the first time, which shows what a wonderful galloper Phar Lap is. The champion Avas entered for the Underwood Stakes at Williamstown, which is the first weight-for-age race of the season. He had done very little avoHc, and, in the language of racing infen, he was “as big as a ! bullock”. The only reason which Mr. Telford had for starting him was to give him a rousing gallop as part of his preparation for the strenuous spring programme. His rider, Wi. Elliot. AA'as directed to allow Phar Lap to make his oavu pace and not to extend him if he found that tho [ task A\-as hopeless. Elliot did as he Was told, and Phar Lap did the rest. Without an effort lie shot past his opponents, and won with ridiculous ease. Mr. Telford, like everybody, else, Avas astounded. Although lie had bad tho horse since he Avas a yearling he did not understand him. It AA’as evident that Phar Lap was not expected to win because of the liberal odds offered about him by the bookmakers, and had Mr. Telford realised the capability of his horse be might have enriched himself considerably. Mr. Telford's next problem Avas to discover Avhether Phar Lap lmd Been adA’ersely affected. This is what happened told in Mr. Telford’s AA'ords: —“When I got the big horse back home after the WilliamstoAvn race I remarked to Woodcock that it might not have done him any good running himself out while in that condition. In spite of his form at WilliamstoAvn 1 considered that the long spell in the country might liaA'O affected his speed. To satisfy myself I decided to gallop him OA’er seven furlongs on my track. I told the stable lad who was to ride him to give him a. good gallop, and I held tho watch. I could hardly belicA'e my eyes as each furlong AA'as left behind. You may imagine my astonishment when, at the end of tho gallop, I found that he had run the distance in time. I kiiGAv then that lie Avas as good as, or better than ever. A I’cav days late a - he went on to AA'iu the Memsie Stakes at Caulfield.”

To the uninitiated a track gallop of scA'eu furlongs in lmin. 26J-see., may not mean verj* niuch, but the fact that the time is only 2)see. longer than the Australasian record will make racing men AA'onder what Pliar Lap is capable of accomplishing. The record for the distance at Caulfield is lmin. 2535ec., and at Mooney Valley it is lmin. 20sec. What time might Pliar Lap have made on the Braoside track if he had been extended by other horses? Tlio more one thinks about it the more one Avonders whether we haA’e yet seen tho best of the galloping Avoiider of a century.