PHAR LAP’S WIN

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 95, 22 March 1932, Page 7

PHAR LAP’S WIN

SPECTATORS MARVEL. i RECORD-BREAKING EFFORT. BRILLIANT BURST OF SPEED. (United Press Association—By Eleotrio Telegraph.—Copyright.) AGUA CALIENTE, March 20. Fifteen thousand spectators marvelled as Phar Lap crossed the lino to finish two lengths ahead of Reveille Boy and the field in the Agua Caliento Handicap, of one and a quarter miles, to-day. The “Red Terror” was handled perfectly by W. Elliott. . ' The handicap is a subscription race of 60 dollars each at time of nomination, an additional 50 dollars if not declared by March 6, and an additional 500 dollars to start, with 50,000 dollars added; the first horse to take 41,250 dollars and all entrance and starting fees (guaranteed 60,000 dollars), second 5000 dollars, third 2500 dollars and fourth 1250 dollars. Phar Lap started slowly, but uncorked g burst of speed on the back stretch that carried him past seven horses and out in front half a mile further along the course. Just as Phar Lap moved into the home stretch came Reveille Boy, winner of the American Derby of 1929. Ho came up fast, running neck and neck with tho invader. Momentarily the two hung together, then Elliott applied the whip for tho first and only time. It was enough. Wholey lashed Reveille Boy savagely, but the “Red Terror” stepped out under slight urging and drew away. It was obvious that there was not a horse in the race that could overcome his lead. There was a crashing cheer from the spectators as Phar Lap galloped past the finishing line. The invader was reined in quickly and jogged back to the charmed circle as the roar of those who wondered at his great power increased. The police were unable to hold tho crowd.as it rushed to the track to get a better look at the winner, but Phar Lap remained as calm as ho was during the long wait at the post. Further vindication of T. Woodcock’s training methods was given when Phar Lap finished scarcely blowing. Some of the close finishers were covered with lather.

Elliott’s riding is praised on all sides. Many say that the horse could have won much easier if pressed throughout the race. The New York Herald-Tribune’s racing expert comments: “Tho sensational race of Phar Lap has no parallel in the history of American turf. It has been the lot of most foreign invaders to taste defeat, Papyrus and Epinard being examples. Always excuses for lack of form because of climatic changes have been forthcoming. “Phar Lap not only seemed thoroughly acclimatised, but as fit as any horse that has gone to the post in America. His record-breaking effort at a mile and a quarter, under 9st 81b, is all the more remarkable for the fact that there was a delay of ten -minutes at the post, but then, Phar Lap is a horse without nerves. Nothing worries or frets him.”

Sporting pages give prominent display to the race, and its details, pictures, extensive accounts of Pliar Lap’s record in Australia, and his tabulated Sross winnings by comparison with Sun eau, Gallant Fox and others. Writers see the possibility of Phar Lap superseding Sun Beau when he comes East. JOCKEY’S TRIUMPH. ” ENTHUSIASTIC CROWD. AGUA CALIENTE, March 20. After the race Phar Lap was paraded in front of the judge’s stand and a horseshoe of flowers was hung on him by Mrs Leon Gordon, the Australian. wife of the well-known actor. When Elliott dismounted ho was almost in tears from happiness. After the horse was decorated he was led back and forth in a roped-off'part of tho stretch and newspaper and cinema cameras played continuously on him.

The crowds attempted to rush Mr D. J. Davis, Elliott and T. Woodcock, when they removed the horseshoe of flowers, to pull roses as souvenirs from it. People broke the barrier, but remained good-natured. Tho race was only a romp for Phar Lap, yet his time, 2min 2 4-ssec, broke the track record for the mile and a quarter by a fifth of a second. His figures, however, were outside his Australian record of 2min 21 sec, established at Randwick last October. Elliott rode a beautiful race.. Phar Lap was seventh ns the field of eleven passed the stands out of the chute, but he went up strongly on the back stretch, taking a lead of four lengths on going into tho last turn. Then the field closed up in strong pursuit, Reveille Boy pressing hard until tho final burst when Phar Lap broke away from the pack on the home stretch, finishing easily as the rest of the field faded. MARINE WAS FIFTH. Received March 22, 10.0 a.m. AGUA CALIENTE, March 21. Marine, not Good and Hot, was fifth in t"he Agua Caliente Handicap, and was followed by Seth’s Hope, Spanish Play, Dr Freeland, Bahamas and Cabezo. PHAR LAP TO REST. Received March 22, 9.0 a.m. VANCOUVER, March 21. Phar Lap will rest for several weeks before he moves from Agua Caliente to the Middle West to prepare for the Arlington Park races. “RAN JUST THE WAY HE WANTED TO.” Received March 22, 12.5 p.m. AGUA CALIENTE, March 21. Elliott said to-day that Phar Lap ran just the way he wanted to and exactly as had been planned. Future plans for tho “Red Terror” have not yet been formulated, but he will bo taken East, probably to Chicago, within a short time.

ENGLAND EAGER TO SEE ■ PHAR LAP. OPPOSITION IN”CAMERONIAN AND BROWN JACK. Received March 22, 1.0 p.m. LONDON, March 21. .Turf writers give prominence to the possibility of Phar Lap coming to England, where they are eager to see him in the Cesarewitoh competing against Brown Jack and Cameronian. The Daily Telegraph publishes a New Zealander’s letter protesting against Phar Lap, like Carbine, being incorrectly described as Australian, when both were born and bred in New Zealand.

NEWS IN SYDNEY. SYDNEY, March 21. Racing men in Sydney never doubted that Phar Lap would win. Harry

Marsden said it was only a matter of Phar Lap being fit. George Price, the former New Zealand trainer, was very delighted and expressed the opinion that Phar Lap would now go after greater successes in America. Leading bookmakers say that there was no business hero on the race; a win for Phar Lap wus anticipated. The whole racing fraternity were agog. The news of the win spread through the city like wildfire and cheers were given at different clubs. Pliar Lap’s fastest for a mile and aquarter was at Randwick in October, 1931, in the Craven Plate —2min. 24 sec. NEW ZEALAND’S CONGRATULATIONS. Per Press Association. * WELLINGTON. March 22. The following cable lias been dispatched by the Prime Minister, lit. Hon. G. W. Forbes, to Mr D. J. Davis, at Agua Caliente : “New Zealand heartily congratulates yourself, trainer and rider on Phar Lap’s outstanding victory. The fact that your champion was bred and born in New Zealand naturally enhances the keen pleasure shared by all Dominion sportsmen.” INTEREST IN PALMERSTON NORTH. The intense interest in the result of the race was well evidenced in Palmerston North yesterday. From early in tho morning there were repeated inquiries for details of the starting time and result, and the news of the champion’s victory, when it arrived, was hailed with considerable enthusiasm. PREVIOUS WINNERS. « Previous winners of the race since it was first instituted as the Coffroth Handicap (run at Tia Juana) in 1917 have been: COFFROTH HANDICAP (AT TIA JUANA).

WORLD RECORDS. The world’s record for a mile and a-quarter is two minutes and it is held bv Whisk Broom II (9.13), June 28, 1913, Belmont, U.S.A.; Top Gallant (9.0.), May 16, 1923, Newmarket, England; Hark Forrard (6.2), August 8, 1923, Brighton, England. AGUA CALIENTE HANDICAP. ORIGIN OF THE RACE. The Agua Caliente Handicap, won by Phar Lap yesterday, originated under the title of the Coffroth Handicap in 1917. It was named after Mr James Wood Coffroth, an American racing pioneer, and was run at the old track at Tia Juana, a Mexican town adjoining the Southern Californian border. Mr Coffroth planned to build the race by steady, progress into a super-contest. Originally of the value of 4000 dollars (about £800), the stake money has been steadily increased and last year the prize for the winner was 100,000 dollars (about £20,C 00), but economic conditions necessitated the stake being reduced to 50,900 dollars this year. The incoming of a group of wealthy Americans saw Mr Coffroth’s task of development taken over and the investment of millions of dollars brought about the construction of a gamblers’ paradise at Agua Caliente, four miles south of Tia Juana. Expense was no object and three or four years ago the finishing touches were made to a casino that during the past couple of y has rivalled those at Monte Carlo, Deauville and Le Torquet. Adjoining the magnificent casino are a. luxurious hotel, restaurants, a swimming pool, a golf course, and whippet and horse-racing tracks. Where once' was all as barren almost as the Sahara Desert there has come wealth and luxury. This year the economic stress that has grappled the -world has provided something of a setback to the general activities, but the racing continues. , , .. The Agua Caliente Jockey Club itself was formed when the gambling citv. was completed, and this club immediately took over the Coffroth Handicap and ran it at Agua Caliente instead of at Tia Juana, it was seized with Mr Coffroth’s enthusiasm for the race, and saw fit to aim at an even higher goal—namelv. not less than 100,000 dollars for the winning horse. This ambition was realised last season, and the prize would have been maintained this season except for the adverse times. PHAR LAP’S CAREER. Phar Lap was bred in Canterbury by the late Mr A. F. Roberts, being by Night Raid from Entreaty, by W’inkie from Prayer Wheel, by Pilgrim’s Progress from the Maxim mare Catherine Wheel. When a yearling—and a somewhat ordinary one—he was sold at the Trentham sales for 160gns. Sinoe then he has been trained in Australia by the ex-New Zealander, H. R. Telford, in whose name lie did his early racing on lease from Mr D. J. Davis, though later they have figured as the joint owners. It was not until he was a three-year-old that Phar Lap blossomed as a good horse. Since then he has continued to hold the central position on the Australian racing stage. All distances seem alike to this wonderful galloper, whose performances have caused him to be described by warm admirers as the greatest horse ever seen in Australia, though there are adherents of Carbine who challenge this claim. As a four-year-old he won the Melbourne Cup under 9.12 and last November he essayed the great feat of winning again, carrying 10.10. He failed badly, but it was no disgrace to be beaten with such a weight. Shortly afterwards, arrangements were made to race him in America, but before being shipped abroad he spent a few weeks at Trentham.

Weight. Horse. Ago. st lb 1 ime. 1917 —Sasin 4 8 3 2.22 1921—Be Frank 5 9 5 2.5 3-5 1922—Mulcibor 4 8 1 2.6 2-5 1923 —Rebuke 4 7 6 2.6 1-5 1924—Runstar 5 8 11 2.5 2-6 1925—Atherstono 5 7 6 2.7 2-5 1926—Carlaris 3 7 2 2.2 3-5 1927—Sir Harry 3 7 5 2.3 2-5 1928 —Crystal Pennant 4 7 2 2.5 1929—Golden Pince ... 5 8 0 2.2 2-5 AGUA -CALIENTE HANDICAP ' (AT AGUA CALIENTE). 1930 —Victorian 5 9 0 2.3 1-5 1931 —Miko Hall 7 8 4 2.3 Tho race was not i cnewcd between lyif and 1921.