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Phar Lap
The story of Phar Lap is more than the story of just a great racehorse, it's a rags-to-riches thriller about a horse that in a sense embodied the soul of Australia during the Great Depression. Phar Lap was a freak. He was the battlers' horse, saved from the slaughterhouse by an impoverished trainer with fanatical bloodline theories, who turned out to be one of the greatest racehorses the world has ever seen. His unerring ability to defeat the best thoroughbreds of the time with such ease and grace endeared him to the depressed workers and the unemployed. But hat same ability rocked the foundations of the racing establishment. The wealthy owners, bookmakers and racketeers drove him from Australia to America where he competed in the richest race in the world, and where he died in agony, cradled in the arms of his dedicated strapped.
Phar Lap was so loved that his death plunged the nation into mourning. Flags were flown at half mast in Australia and newspapers in America ran his obituary on black-bordered front pages.
Phar Lap was so loved that his death plunged the nation into mourning. Flags were flown at half mast in Australia and newspapers in America ran his obituary on black-bordered front pages.
- GenresNonfiction
204 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1983
24 people want to read
About the author
Helen Townsend
29 books6 followersBorn in 1947, Helen Townsend was educated in Melbourne and Sydney and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in History and Economics from Sydney University in 1968.
She worked as a researcher in the Health Department of ABC radio and television for ten years, before becoming a full-time writer. Her many projects since have included the position of researcher for the 1990 ABC/Film Australia documentary of her book Baby Boomers, writer/researcher of a one-hour documentary on Antarctica for Channel 7, researcher for the First State 88 Bicentennial Transport Exhibition and story researcher for the film Phar Lap, among others. The National Times, The Sun Herald, Woman's Day and Cleo have all counted Helen as a freelance contributor. She was also the writer of Australia's first internet soap, 'Friday's Beach', shown on the Microsoft network.
Helen has had 17 books published including Turning Point (1996), Real Men (1994), Heroic Measures (1993), Baby Crazy (1990), Baby Boomers Growing up in Australia in the 1940s, '50s and '60s (1988), Adult Children and Their Elderly Parents (1989) and Balancing Act.
She is married to Steve and has three children, Sophie, Lewis and Patrick. Helen's particular interests are literature, history and social issues.
She worked as a researcher in the Health Department of ABC radio and television for ten years, before becoming a full-time writer. Her many projects since have included the position of researcher for the 1990 ABC/Film Australia documentary of her book Baby Boomers, writer/researcher of a one-hour documentary on Antarctica for Channel 7, researcher for the First State 88 Bicentennial Transport Exhibition and story researcher for the film Phar Lap, among others. The National Times, The Sun Herald, Woman's Day and Cleo have all counted Helen as a freelance contributor. She was also the writer of Australia's first internet soap, 'Friday's Beach', shown on the Microsoft network.
Helen has had 17 books published including Turning Point (1996), Real Men (1994), Heroic Measures (1993), Baby Crazy (1990), Baby Boomers Growing up in Australia in the 1940s, '50s and '60s (1988), Adult Children and Their Elderly Parents (1989) and Balancing Act.
She is married to Steve and has three children, Sophie, Lewis and Patrick. Helen's particular interests are literature, history and social issues.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
April 17, 2025
Phar Lap called "Bobby" by his groomer was a shooting star seen only once in a lifetime
This gangly ugly colt whose face was covered in warts, was bought based on his lineage.
Phar Lap was a huge horse, 17 hands high with powerful muscular legs.
Starting in 1928, In the four years of his racing career, Phar Lap won 37 of 51 races he entered, including the Melbourne Cup.
They kept piling the weights on the huge horse to supposedly make it more competitive for other horses to win. Bobby ran his heart out.
He lost his last two races being sick from the stress of carrying an extra 68kg, which is 150 lbs.
The horse alone weighed in at just over 600kg. Thats 1323 Lbs.
Phar Lap had to carry his own massive frame, running the course plus another 150 lbs. of lead weights added to his saddle tack.
His groomer, Tommy Woodcock, had begged his trainer Harry Telford not to let him run.
Phar Lap died of an arsenic overdose in 1932. Arsenic was used as a tonic. It was believed it was deliberate but never proven. The trainer may have been to blame.
His groomer, Tommy, held the dying horses head until he passed. Arsenic is an agonizing death that causes hemorrhage of the stomach and intestines.
Seabiscuit and Secretariat names are well known, but Phar Lap, who was foaled in New Zealand, became a true Champion Austrailian thoroughbred racehorse.
This gangly ugly colt whose face was covered in warts, was bought based on his lineage.
Phar Lap was a huge horse, 17 hands high with powerful muscular legs.
Starting in 1928, In the four years of his racing career, Phar Lap won 37 of 51 races he entered, including the Melbourne Cup.
They kept piling the weights on the huge horse to supposedly make it more competitive for other horses to win. Bobby ran his heart out.
He lost his last two races being sick from the stress of carrying an extra 68kg, which is 150 lbs.
The horse alone weighed in at just over 600kg. Thats 1323 Lbs.
Phar Lap had to carry his own massive frame, running the course plus another 150 lbs. of lead weights added to his saddle tack.
His groomer, Tommy Woodcock, had begged his trainer Harry Telford not to let him run.
Phar Lap died of an arsenic overdose in 1932. Arsenic was used as a tonic. It was believed it was deliberate but never proven. The trainer may have been to blame.
His groomer, Tommy, held the dying horses head until he passed. Arsenic is an agonizing death that causes hemorrhage of the stomach and intestines.
Seabiscuit and Secretariat names are well known, but Phar Lap, who was foaled in New Zealand, became a true Champion Austrailian thoroughbred racehorse.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 29, 2018
IF SOMETHING IS GOOD THAT IS OK, BUT IF SOMETHING IS TOO GOOD IT UPSETS THE WHOLE SYSTEM.
PHAR LAPS HEART WAS 2X THE AVERAGE HORSES HEART. The really good horses don't like other horses beating them
Harry believed he could find a horse that didn't have an immediately impressive ancestory but which could be a sure winner (Phar Lap provided confirmation bias).
Harry leased Phar Lap from Davis for 3 years in 1928. Tommy Woodcock always thought that Harry over raced Phar Lap because of the ST lease.
Harry rode Phar Lap in the sandhills and he weighed 11 stone. Phar Lap could easily have broken down.
Harry hoped to show them that a man with knowledge and bloodlines and training methods could beat money and social position (got to personal, he was over-committed to his ways).
In the 1930 Depression in Australia Phar Lap was a symbol that things could be better, a symbol of hope and courage.
Owning a champion racehorse bought no joy to Harry (still jealous/envious therefore never content). He was not grateful.
In 1930 there were 80k spectators, considerably fewer than previous years due to the depression (Be frugal - everyone would love to have been there but they had to pull their heads in).
Phar Lap was odds on in 1930, first time ever when it won. He was $1.33 the second year when he came 8/14.
Tommy was modest, understated, consistent, patient and knew how to yield.
Pike rode Phar Lap in 30 races for 27 wins.
For years I have kidded myself that I made the horse but the truth is that he would have been a champion whoever trained. Expensive lesson as his Braeside stables went bankrupt in the 1940's with little success outside of Phar Lap. (he underappreciated the importance of luck and what others contributed - ie Tommy)
PHAR LAPS HEART WAS 2X THE AVERAGE HORSES HEART. The really good horses don't like other horses beating them
Harry believed he could find a horse that didn't have an immediately impressive ancestory but which could be a sure winner (Phar Lap provided confirmation bias).
Harry leased Phar Lap from Davis for 3 years in 1928. Tommy Woodcock always thought that Harry over raced Phar Lap because of the ST lease.
Harry rode Phar Lap in the sandhills and he weighed 11 stone. Phar Lap could easily have broken down.
Harry hoped to show them that a man with knowledge and bloodlines and training methods could beat money and social position (got to personal, he was over-committed to his ways).
In the 1930 Depression in Australia Phar Lap was a symbol that things could be better, a symbol of hope and courage.
Owning a champion racehorse bought no joy to Harry (still jealous/envious therefore never content). He was not grateful.
In 1930 there were 80k spectators, considerably fewer than previous years due to the depression (Be frugal - everyone would love to have been there but they had to pull their heads in).
Phar Lap was odds on in 1930, first time ever when it won. He was $1.33 the second year when he came 8/14.
Tommy was modest, understated, consistent, patient and knew how to yield.
Pike rode Phar Lap in 30 races for 27 wins.
For years I have kidded myself that I made the horse but the truth is that he would have been a champion whoever trained. Expensive lesson as his Braeside stables went bankrupt in the 1940's with little success outside of Phar Lap. (he underappreciated the importance of luck and what others contributed - ie Tommy)
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June 6, 2019A great book about how Phar Lap become the famous racehorse we know and love.
November 4, 2015
Although this is a great story, this wasn't an especially brilliant telling of it. Although as it was really an adaptation of the screenplay of the movie, I guess the somewhat wooden style is forgivable.
June 12, 2014
Love this book!!! For anyone who loves Phar Lap, horse racing fans or even if you are just interested in a good read, Phar Lap is the book for you.
February 23, 2018
Phar lap should have been a book right in my wheel house. A slam dunk. A winning ticket at the pay window. In stead it was a wooden, Readers Digest version of what I happen to know is a great horse story Written with the vibe of a teen novel, I kept looking all over it's cover and pages for the words, "young adult" But nay.
It read like a film script which it was adapted from. So there's that. Let's hope the movies better. I'll bring the popcorn, you rent the movie.
P.S. The greatest athlete of all time??? That right, a horse -- Secretariat!!! look it up.
It read like a film script which it was adapted from. So there's that. Let's hope the movies better. I'll bring the popcorn, you rent the movie.
P.S. The greatest athlete of all time??? That right, a horse -- Secretariat!!! look it up.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews