PHAR LAP’S FAILURE

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XIX, Issue 283, 14 November 1929, Page 2

PHAR LAP’S FAILURE

TRYING TO ACCOUNT FOR IT.

After his brilliant victories in both the A.J.C. and V.R.O. Derbies, to say nothing of his earlier successes or of the Craven Plate at Randwick, there was naturally keen disappointment at Phar Lap’s failure to fulfil in.the Melbourne Cup the expectations thus aroused. Here is how one Sydney writer tries to account for it.

What puzzled most people in Sydney who relied on the newspaper and the wireless for a description of the Melbourne Cup was the sudden change in Phar Lap. When he first came into prominence one of his most impressive characteristics was. his tractability. Not at any stage in his races here has he indicated that he was a “puller.” In the Rosehill Guineas Munro had no difficulty in restraining him until the opportunity was “ripe” for the finishing effort. In the A.J.C. Derby Pike was quite comfortable in the early stages of the race, and after he had taken the lead from Queen Nassau with a remarkable burst of speed Phar Lap was eased without apparent difficulty. It was almost a repetition in the Craven Plate, yet in Tuesday’s Cup event Phar Lap “fought” with hia rider (R. Lewis) for about half the distance of the race, and would not settle down until he was in front of tho field.

It is to be remembered that the Melbourne Cup for the first half mile was the slowest run race that Phar Lap has contested, although the fractional times, when compared with earlier efforts, indicate that the horse should have been at his ease. Few sportsmen cared to be too definite in their opinions gained from published accounts, although surprise was expressed that Lewis had adopted the tactics of restraining the horse in such circumstances. So far as the pace set is concerned a comparison of the fractional times in the A.J.C. Derby, the Craven Plate, the Victoria Derby, and the Melbourne Cup ia interesting. They are:—

The mile and a half in the two Derbies represents the completion of the race, and the track at Randwick for the Craven Plate was heavy, but despite this the figures for the Cup indicate that Lewis was astray in the matter of the pace set, and that he may have given Phar Lap a better chance had he allowed him to set a faster gait, even if ho had to take him to the front to do it. On Trivalve. a horse whom he himself declared a thorough stayer, but a lazy fellow, he made better time in the early stages. The first half-mile on that occasion was run in 51Js, mile in Im 41 }s, and the milo nnd a half in 2m ,33|s. It was an even race throughout, but this year the horses loafed more or less until the last three quarters of a mile, and then galloped at a great speed, the effort by Nightmrach being phenomenal. Judged through Carradale's effort the form of Phar Lap is equally disappointing. In the A.J.C. Derbv Carradale did not make any impression on Phar Lap, he did a little better in the Victoria Derby, but approaching the entrance to the straight in the Cup he threw out an unmistakable challenge, brought to an untimely and when ho ran off the track. To this may bo added What Lewis himself had to say. According to him Phar Lap was at a disadvantage be cause the race was slow. The horse. Lewis said, got away splendidly. “He was on the rails, and was pulling hard. 1 was compelled to let him lead from the start, and that, of course, gave the other horses an advantage when a sprint was weeded. 1 warned the trainer that it might be a badly-run race from Phar Lap’s point of view.”

A.J.C.D. C.P. V.D. Cup. First half 52$ 52A 52} 54} Mile 1-10} 1-16} 1-43} 1-46} 1} mile .. 2-31} — 2-31} 2-37