Phar Lap Re[2]: TheBanyanTree: Canberra is Cool!! 24-6-03

[Woofie]

Yeah...wot Janice sez:)
Phar Lap was and still is an icon of the lil Aussie Battler...he was
an ugly horse bought cheap by folks who were not rich or affluent..his
trainer was a lil dude called Tommy Woodcock...another lil battler
dude. When Phar Lap was entered in the Melbourne Cup hoss race, Tommy
rode him from Sydney ( I think) to melbourne...over 600 miles..to get
him fit for the race.

Another unique thing about him was the size of his heart, which is one
reason why it is in the museum over here..it was a massively big heart
(but healthy) which accounted for his incredible endurance and staying
power.

And yes..folks did openly cry when they heard about his death...i will
see iffen I can find some websites about him....
http://www.museum.vic.gov.au/pharlap/
http://www.secondrunning.com/Phar%20Lap.htm

W :)


J> The description of Phar Lap as famous is characteristic Woofie
J> understatement.  Phar Lap is not just a famous dead race horse.  Phar Lap is
J> iconic.  Why, just a few days ago I read yet another article about him in
J> the only place I've ever read about him - the non-sporting pages of the
J> daily newspaper.  Considering that he's been dead for 60 odd years that
J> might give youse mob over there some idea of his stature among us mob over
J> here.

J> But of course it's his mysterious death that has kept his name alive.  He
J> was supposed to go over there and win everything, magnificent creature that
J> he was but instead, shortly after his arrival, he suddenly sickened and was
J> dead within a day or so.  Back at home, on hearing the news, grown men wept
J> openly and women went into sad declines.  Well.  I'm making that last bit
J> up, but some probably did.

J> The story is that a certain family-based business network (with interests in
J> horse racing, prostitution, gambling and illegal alcohol sales) did our Phar
J> Lap down because they didn't want him to win everything.  The story is that
J> they may have done it by spraying poison on his pasture.  At least that's
J> what the newspaper article said.  Me, I know nothing.

J> Janice




J> ______________________________________
J>             TheBanyanTree             
J>   post to: TheBanyanTree at remsset.com  
J> site: http://remsset.com/thebanyantree
 



-- 
Best regards,
 Woofie,                       mailto:woofie at woofess.com

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