Why did the Americans poison Australias Champion Race Horse PharLap ?

Question

H e was much loved and had a heart twice the size of the average thouroughbred, its actually on display at the Australian Museum in Canberra ! So why did they have to poison him in his box, before he was due to run again defeating their Champions ? Was it due to the bookmakers, betting, mafia or just thet American Psyche of if it beats us and its not one of us well kill it ! with arsonic !

Answer 1

I've never heard that before. Cite your source.

I heard his vet say that Phar Lap died after his trainer took him out to graze on grass that had recently been sprayed with weedkiller.

Answer 2

Phar Lap was a great horse.  However, why are you blaming the Americans for his death?  'American psyche of if it beats us and its not one of us well kill it'......what kind of logic is that?    It is sad what happened to Phar Lap, however, you can't put the blame on one country when even the most noted people in the horse racing business say his death was mysterious.   In fact, someone tried shooting him in Australia not long before his death.  What does that say about Australia?  Was it an Australian who tried to shoot him and then came to America to finish the job?  No one knows.....but I would not put the blame on the whole of Australia if it was. Every country has it's criminals and blaming a whole country for something is not the way to go.   Here is a link about Phar Lap.   http://www.pharlap.com.au/

Answer 3

I Think the reasons phar lap died will remain a bit of mystery,there is evidence to suggest it was weed killer in the grass,there is other theories to suggest the Mafia knocked him off because he was just to bloody good and they would have lost a stack of cash-who knows really,at the end of the day he was a champion horse (discarded by the kiwi's) and became a true Aussie legend bringing hope to thousands during the depression-not a lot of humans can claim to have done that,and still the biggest draw card at the Melbourne museum and rightly so,he was always my favourite as a kid growing up.

p.s Lenny A,your writing reminds me of an old yahoo member who i assume got kicked off-Wayne A ,he used to use the terms grub and son also VERY SIMILAR LOL :)

Answer 4

"or just thet American Psyche of if it beats us and its not one of us well kill it ! with arsonic"

this has little to do with with Horse Racing and more to do with the fact you cannot deal with the fact that

Australia was once a great big Prison with

Aborigines..

Colonialism? Ethnic Cleansing?..indigenous to Americans?

I guess we killed Princess Diana too...

You obviously don't know who poisoned the poor Horse or your question would never have come up..perhaps it was an Aussie?

Australia is a great Alliance of the US..we respect and love you..try laying blame where blame falls..not castigating an entire culture..

Answer 5

Ha ha, get up em mate!

Answer 6

This is and always will be spoken about throughout the industry, even though the common answer is arsenic used 2 spray the oranges which were near his paddock and some how he digested some of this.

I used 2 be a jockey and am still involved in the industry and have heard that many theories theres as many of em as there is on the death of JFK.

But when i was a kid i remember an old owner who was a prominent figure in the industry  who shall remain nameless, who was a very good mate of Billy Elliot (Phar Laps jock throughout his overseas campaign)who said Billy told him the connections were warned not 2 go but the money was 2 much 2 knock back . He also said that racing in the US at that time was run by organised crime who had a monopoly on the industry and they didnt like the thought of an outsider who wouldnt play by their rules and couldnt be bought off so the easiest way 2 keep their investment safe was 2 get rid of the horse. just like when bookies tried 2 have pharlap shot on the eve of the cup so they wouldnt have 2 pay huge wins for the caulfield cup won by Amounis - Melb cup double after trainer Harry Telford refused to take a payment to scratch the horse.

Even though some will scoff at this, ask anyone in the industry and they will probaly tell u the same.

Answer 7

He was a New Zealand horse, born and bred in New Zealand and brought by the Australians.

Why is the unknown question.  Money perhaps.

Answer 8

Ok here is my account.

PharLap was a foreign horse. Horse Racing was supposed to be an American Sport. When PharLap, just from Austrailia, won an American Race, people got upset. That is probably what led to the poisoning of this magnificient animal, and the huge research being conducted.

By the way i think racing can be anywhere.