As some of you may be out of town and unable to read the bronze plaques at the Phar Lap memorial in person, I have transcribed the tablets and then summarised their contents into a simple list of facts below. These facts are based on the information presented at the monument, rather than being my own original research. Source: Bronze interpretive tablets at the Phar Lap monument, Timaru. Original tablet text credited to the monument project and authors as displayed on site. Summary and transcription by Roselyn Fauth.
Phar Lap was bred by Alexander Frederick Roberts, a South Island stockman and farmer who retired to Timaru in 1920.
Roberts lived at Park Lane and owned a 300-acre property at Seadown, where he pursued his interest in horse breeding.
In 1924, Roberts bought the English-bred stallion Night Raid for 700 guineas.
He later bought the mare Entreaty, which had come from near Geraldine, for 60 guineas.
Night Raid and Entreaty were mated in 1925, producing Phar Lap.
Phar Lap was born on 4 October 1926 at Seadown, near Timaru.
He was a chestnut colt and was found that morning by stud master John McDonald.
As a yearling he was described as having “an intelligent look”.
He could be temperamental when young, but became quiet and docile with handling.
He reportedly once jumped a 1.5-metre gorse fence and then jumped back again to rejoin the other horses.
He was considered a big, ungainly-looking colt.
Roberts thought his long cannon bones might limit his speed and decided to sell him.
Phar Lap was sent to the 1928 Trentham yearling sales.
He was listed as Lot 41.
He sold for 160 guineas.
Another colt, Honour, sold that day for 2,300 guineas and would later finish third behind Phar Lap in the AJC Derby.
Phar Lap was bought on behalf of American businessman David J. Davis.
Trainer Harry Telford had recommended the horse.
When Phar Lap arrived in Sydney, Davis initially wanted him sold.
Telford persuaded Davis to lease the horse to him for three years.
Phar Lap was gelded and given time to mature.
His early track work was unimpressive.
The name Phar Lap was said to mean “lightning”.
The monument attributes the word to a Zhuang dialect of southern China and credits Chinese medical student Aubrey Ping with providing the translation.
Harry Telford was particularly interested in Phar Lap’s bloodlines.
Phar Lap’s pedigree traced back to Carbine.
His maternal line also traced back to the influential mare Miss Kate.
Phar Lap made his racing debut on 23 February 1929.
He finished ninth in a field of 13.
His first win came at his fifth start on 27 April 1929.
From late 1929, Phar Lap began an extraordinary run of success.
The monument records a 25-month sequence containing 35 wins, four placings and one unplaced start.
Phar Lap won the 1930 AJC Plate.
He won four races in eight days during the 1930 Melbourne Cup carnival.
One of those victories was the Melbourne Cup.
He won the 1931 Futurity Stakes carrying 65 kg.
His final Australian race was the 1931 Melbourne Cup.
He carried 68 kg and finished eighth.
Phar Lap later travelled by sea to North America.
He raced at Agua Caliente in Mexico on 20 March 1932.
The race carried a US$100,000 purse and was described as the richest race in the world at the time.
Phar Lap was recovering from a badly cracked hoof.
He still won in track-record time.
He died just 16 days later, on 5 April 1932.
He died at Menlo Park Stud near San Francisco.
His sudden death became one of the enduring mysteries of racing history.
The monument discusses later testing for arsenic and also presents acute enteritis as a possible explanation for his death.
Phar Lap’s career earnings are disputed because of different ways of converting his Agua Caliente prize money.
The monument gives figures of £66,723 and £70,123.
Phar Lap was affectionately known as “Big Red”.
His memorial sculpture depicts him with jockey Jim Pike.
The sculpture places Phar Lap’s hoof over Timaru on a map of New Zealand.
It also represents his heavy handicap weights, his long stride and his journeys overseas.
The memorial links Phar Lap’s popularity with the Great Depression, when his racing successes gave people something to celebrate.