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Phar Lap » (REV)

Book cover image of Phar Lap by Geoff Armstrong

Authors: Geoff Armstrong, Peter Thompson, Peter Thompson
ISBN-13: 9781865089942, ISBN-10: 186508994X
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Allen & Unwin Pty., Limited
Date Published: April 2004
Edition: REV

Author Biography: Geoff Armstrong

Geoff Armstrong is the author of A Century of Summers and the coauthor of The People’s Game and Whiticisms. Peter Thompson is a sports commentator and writer for Age, Financial Review, and Business Review Weekly.

Book Synopsis

A chronicle of the impact of a much-loved and much-lauded horseracing icon, this is a complete account of Phar Lap’s life. It details the many mysteries of his career, from his purchase as a gangly gelding bought cheaply in New Zealand to the infamous shooting that occurred just days before his great triumph in the 1930 Melbourne Cup and his tragic, previously unexplained death in the United States. Bringing to life the characters of the racetrack, this book also examines the way the media played a part in building the legend. Beautifully presented with archival photographs, newspaper articles, and racing memorabilia, this book commemorates one of the best racehorses of all time.

Contra Costa Times

A must on the shelves of racing fans and historians.

	Foreword	vii
	Prologue	xiii
Part I	The racehorse
Chapter 1	The unraced two-year-old Cashy's champion	3
	The Breeding--He could be anything	13
Chapter 2	Autumn 1929 I don't think he'll stay	19
Chapter 3	Spring 1929 A tale of two Bobbies	29
Chapter 4	Autumn 1930 He could've won by a furlong	55
Chapter 5	Spring 1930 Double trouble	69
	The Shooting--Warning or spectacle?	83
Chapter 6	Cup Day 1930 Wonderful what a horse can do	89
Chapter 7	Autumn 1931 A change of colours	105
Chapter 8	Spring 1931 Splits in the stable	117
Chapter 9	Autumn 1932 It's a long way to Caliente	137
	The Death--Who killed Phar Lap?	155
Part II	The icon
	The media star	169
	A view from the press box	179
	Devoted to the cause	183
	Remembering Phar Lap	197
	Standing tall: The museum exhibit	207
	Phar Lap's pedigree	211
	Phar Lap's racing statistics	216
	Glossary	226
	Further reading	233
	Acknowledgements and sources	234
	Index	237