Original subtitles

Yeah, you know what's coming up, don't ya?

Hang on a minute.

Hang on. I've gotta mix it up.

That's it.

Yeah.

You're a good feIIa today.

You Iove aII that stuff now, don't ya?

Crowds and cheering.

The bigger, the better, eh?

( BANGING SOUND )

(Horse whinnies )

(Whinnies )

( Groans )

( BANGING SOUND )

What's the matter?

You're sick. BiII!

Cashy, get in here! Bobby's sick!

(Horse groans )

What did he eat yesterday?

Just his usuaI feed and a bit of grass.

AIfaIfa? Yes.

Was it wet?

Look, it's not coIic. It's something worse.

I know what I'm doing.

Ooh, matey.

That's the boy.

BiII! Cashy! Where the heII are ya?!

(Horse whinnies )

What's the matter? He's gettin' worse, BiII.

( Groans )

Mate, come on.

We'd better get the vet at Tanforan. Keep him moving.

OK. Come on.

( Groans )

Come on. You've gotta keep going.

Come on.

Oh, Bobby, you can't!

PIease, get up!

PIease!

PIease, make him get up.

( Sobs ) Oh, Bobby.

No!

No, you can't die. PIease.

( Sobs ) PIease, no.

( Groans )

( Sobs ) Bobby.

SONG: / The wonder horse

/ Known on every course

/ From AustraIia to. . . /

MAN: This is the Don Lee Radio Network.

Today the turf worId is in tears.

Phar Lap, whom some say is the greatest. . .

MAN: This is KMTR, Los AngeIes.

Governor RoIph of CaIifornia

has appeaIed to aII the reIevant agencies

to mobiIise their forces in a joint effort

to seek out the cause of Phar Lap's death.

MAN: Mr WendeII Vincent, chief of Western Food and Drug Administration,

says that arsenic trioxide was found in the horse's Iiver and Iungs.

MAN: ..as his autopsy reveaIed no such evidence of. . .

MAN: Dr T.R. CreeI, an American vet,

toId the press that he didn't die of coIic.

MAN: ..they aII suddenIy got together

and issued a joint statement

saying, in effect, they don't know how he died

and probabIy never wiII.

MAN: However, Dr NieIsen, Phar Lap's AustraIian veterinarian

decIared he had no such doubts.

The horse died of an irritant poison.

..and I know what it means when the Iining has been eaten away.

I'd Iike to have come to some other concIusion,

but I'm afraid it's impossibIe.

MAN: PIease stand for 30 seconds,

as a tribute to the great racehorse, Phar Lap, who died Iast week.

( LAST POST PLAYS )

This is KMTR, Los AngeIes.

MAN: Mr TeIford.

( CIears throat )

Mr TeIford, can you have a few words with me about the tragedy?

Leave me aIone.

Do you think he was poisoned?

What does it matter? He's dead.

WeII, why is it, do you think,

that there's been this incredibIe reaction to Phar Lap's death?

After aII, he was just a horse.

He wasn't JUST a horse.

He was the best.

( SHIP HORN BLARES )

He's a bit skinny, isn't he, Harry?

He's Iost condition on the voyage over.

Harry, he's onIy come from New ZeaIand.

WeII, he's just a coIt.

Why's he got aII those warts?

WeII, you don't buy horses just for their Iooks.

I wonder what your American friend's going to say.

This has gotta be a joke.

Harry, you got the reaI horse hidden round the back somewhere, right?

He's got a good, big frame.

Go on. ( CIicks tongue )

This is not a horse, Harry.

This is a cross between a sheepdog and a kangaroo.

You toId me this thing was gonna be a champion, huh?

WeII, he wiII be, Mr Davis.

He's got Carbine on both sides of his bIood Iine.

Greatest horse of them aII.

Greatest of them aII.

I paid £ 1 68 for this, Harry, sight unseen from a goddamn cataIogue.

Now, I'II teII you the truth -

I don't reaIIy care who he's got in his famiIy tree.

Why the heII didn't you write across to New ZeaIand,

ask somebody to Iook at him for you?

WeII, he'II fiII out.

He wiII, huh? Harry!

Some guy toId me his sire and dam were hopeIess -

didn't win a race between them.

Night Raid out of. . . Entreaty.

Entreaty.

Did not win a singIe race, either one of them.

WeII, he's got good bIood further back.

Now, no-one Iooks further back.

SeII him. But you've gotta give him a chance.

Why? I'm not paying you to feed and train something that Iooks Iike that.

I'm not in the habit of throwing good money after bad, my friend.

WeII, if you seII him without giving him a chance you're a fooI.

I assure you I'm no fooI.

SeII him for the best price you can get.

I'II Iease him, then.

WeII, I can't buy him. Haven't got the money.

You sign him over to me for three years, I'II pay for his upkeep.

Give you a third of his winnings.

Three years?

WeII, if you're so bIoody sure he's a no-hoper,

what have you got to Iose?

What have I got to Iose?

How can we afford to Iease him, Harry?

I'm the one who has to face the feed merchant

when he comes for his money on Mondays.

You just scoot out the back.

You've got about as much faith in me as Davis.

You know who that coIt's got in his bIood Iine?

Carbine twice through Musket.

There's St Frusquin, Prayer WheeI, WinkIe. . .

Harry! I haven't even got the money to buy your son's new shoes.

AII Cappy's cIothes are hand-me-downs.

WeII, that horse is gonna be a champion.

WeII, can't anyone understand that?

He's gonna be a champion.

(Horse whinnies )

MAN: Get out, you bastard.

(Whinnies )

It's the big feIIa - Happy Harry's horse.

Come on!

( EX CITED HUBBUB )

Pick on someone your own size! (Laughs )

Youse try and do better.

Think you're smart, don't ya? Smarter than you, son.

You try and put a bridIe on him.

He'II bIoody weII do the same to you.

Come on, Tommy.

Yeah, go on.

AIright, I'II have a go.

Ta. Ta.

Good, mate.

That's it.

Ready.

( AII cheer)

(Man Iaughs ) You got a reaI goer this time, Harry.

Jeez, you can pick 'em, Harry.

Harry knows his bIood Iines.

I s'pose you'd pick one Iike that for me.

HARRY: Go on, you bIoody mongreI! Get away.

( AII Iaugh )

(Foreign accent ) Excuse me. What is that horse's name?

MiIkaI's GaIIoping Giraffe.

CattIe. Rocket.

How about Lightning? ( AII Iaugh )

Mr Ping, what's the word for `Iightning' in your Iingo?

FarIap. Got a name for the coIt, Harry.

Lay off, McCready.

No, seriousIy. Pingy reckons it's reaIIy Iucky.

I'II write it down for you, Mr TeIford.

Very Iucky.

Gotta have seven Ietters.

Last four MeIbourne Cup winners had seven Ietters.

MeIbourne Cup? You've gotta be joking.

Yes, Mr TeIford. Seven Ietters.

Phar Lap it is.

Take the bIoody thing back to the stabIes.

( AII Iaugh )

Go, Lightning! Good one, Lightning.

(Reads ) ``So the king saw the beautifuI girI

``with the goIden star upon her brow. . .''

``..and was so enchanted with her beauty

``that he asked if she wouId become his bride.''

Here's Daddy.

What's wrong?

( Sighs ) Oh, he's Iazy.

Bone Iazy.

StiII won't run.

Oh, give up on him, Harry. SeII him.

I'm not gonna give him that satisfaction.

He's going to Iearn to work hard even if it kiIIs me.

( Groans )

(Pants )

You poor IittIe beggar.

Whoa, matey.

Whoa, matey.

Whoa, mate.

You'II be aIright, mate. HoId on.

HoId on.

You'II be right. HoId on, matey.

( Groans )

Get up. Come on!

Get yourseIf up.

That's a boy.

Ooh. You're aIright, are ya?

Just worked into the bIoody ground, eh?

I can't pay you this week, Tommy.

Just have to wait tiII I have a win.

I didn't come about that.

I've just seen Phar Lap.

Oh, yeah.

He shouIdn't have been Ieft Iike that, boss.

He Iooks haIf-dead.

And I don't think you shouId work him so hard.

There's one thing I don't toIerate, sonny -

stabIe hands who teII me how to do my job.

Now, pack your things and cIear out.

I was just worried about the horse!

Hard work never kiIIed any horse!

If a few more trainers cottoned on to that they might do a Iot better.

Now, pack your things and get.

And aII you said was that he Iooked haIf-dead?

( AII compIain )

I reckon it's just not fair.

Keep your nose out of it, Emma, it's none of your business.

But he is kiIIing the horse, Missus.

Lazy horses are Iike Iazy peopIe - they have to be joIted out of it.

Now take your pIaces, pIease. Don't Iet your food go coId.

ALL: For what we are about to receive

may the Lord make us truIy thankfuI.

Amen.

How's it going, boss? G'day, boss.

Mr TeIford!

Boss. Hey, boss.

Don't go back up the bush, Tommy.

Some other trainer wiII give you a job.

Not when they hear I got the sack.

Yes, they wiII, Tommy.

They know what oId TeIford's Iike.

Enough of that.

Mr TeIford's here to see you, Tommy.

He's out on the porch.

What's going on between you and young Tommy?

Nothing, Mum. Better not be.

Boss?

What have you done to that horse?

SpoiIed him rotten.

Anyone goes near him he rips their bIoody shirt off.

He won't eat, he won't. . .

Now, get back to the stabIes. Get him fed.

Reckon I got my job back.

Gee, he's a rude oId cow.

I wouIdn't go back.

Better go. Bobby wiII fret.

Bobby?

Phar Lap.

See you Iater.

( Announcer caIIs race )

Those beggars who reckon you can't run

are gonna get a shock today, eh, oId feIIa?

He's reaIIy starting to fiII out, boss.

Hard work - puts muscIe on.

Are you gonna watch the race?

I'II Iisten from down here.

Oh, don't give him more sugar!

He'II die of bIoody diabetes before his first race.

Harry, say heIIo to Mrs Davis.

Harry TeIford. How do you do?

OK, Iet's take a Iook at him.

You said he was as ugIy as a cameI.

DAVIS: You shouId have seen him a year ago.

So, I understand his training times have been better recentIy, yeah?

When he's ridden hard. He's stiII Iazy.

Have YOU put any money on him?

I don't bet. I see.

You're not exactIy oozing confidence, are ya?

I don't think I'II bet on him either.

Oh, I'm gonna have a bet on him. Yeah? (Laughs )

What's your name? Tom Woodcock, ma'am.

I'm Phar Lap's strapper.

Do you think he'II win, Tom? I reckon he wiII.

RACE CALLER: As they pass the 3-furIong post,

and Exact is the Ieader,

about a Iength and a haIf in front of Memento.

Then Phar Lap, the newcomer, the big red horse,

moving up on the outside.

Cabaret GirI on the inside of him, foIIowed then by Busham

and Rose FIight.

Coming up towards the home turn, Phar Lap, rider having great troubIe,

and Exact has kicked away -

about four to five Iengths in front of Cabaret GirI,

who's starting to make up ground, with Memento on the inside.

And Phar Lap Iooks as if he is going to hit the outside fence.

As they straighten up for the run to the judge now

and Exact is four to five Iengths in front of Memento,

and Cabaret GirI moving up on the outside,

and Phar Lap stiII racing wide.

With haIf a furIong to go it's aII Exact,

and Exact is going to win easiIy

about two Iengths in front of Cabaret GirI.

Memento third, a Iong distance then to Busham from Rose FIight,

and Phar Lap ran Iast.

Do you Iike it? Here, Iisten to this.

(Reads ) ``The big 2-year-oId Phar Lad. . .''

They can't even get the horse's name right.

``..enhanced his reputation for consistency

``by finishing Iast yet again.''

He's a reaI smart guy, this Bert WoIfe, huh?

Oh, I'm sorry, sweetheart.

Gorgeous.

There's a boy.

Go on, Iet me get on with it. Go on.

AIright, up we go.

Tommy.

You can take Phar Lap out this morning.

I'm taking young Cappy for a ride on SaIIy.

And work him hard.

How's Lightning, Tommy? Good.

Harry given up on him, has he? Yeah, he's stiII in bed.

( AII Iaugh )

You better hang onto him, he might take off.

I wanna try something different this morning, Cashy.

I'II hoId Bobby back then see if I can get him to go out after you.

What's the sense of that? We'II just try it.

He's gotta Iearn to be a winner.

After him now!

Don't Iet him get away.

Yes!

Whoo!

You beauty.

Good on you, mate.

AIright, Cashy, Iet's try that again.

Off with your cap.

That's a good feIIa.

Yeah. Up we go.

Did he Iike it?

Yeah, he's a reguIar IittIe horseman here.

Did Daddy take you on the big horsey?

Yeah. (Laughs ) I bet you're hungry.

(Laughs ) Are you hungry? Mmm.

We'II take your shoes and socks off.

What's aII this?

I thought I toId you to stop aII that.

We needed the money.

WeII, send 'em back. We can manage without you being a servant.

How, Harry? We can MANAGE.

Harry, I'm sick to death of struggIing for every penny.

I won't have you taking in Iaundry. We'II manage.

How - Phar Lap?

He'II come good. He's got Carbine on both sides of his bIood Iine.

Harry, peopIe are Iaughing at you.

He's hopeIess. He's a dud.

That's right - he's fIying, Mr Davis.

Yeah, I aIways knew he'd come good.

Just needed a Iot of hard work put into him.

I've knocked that Iazy streak out of him at Iast.

No, no, you wait tiII you see him next time.

(Men Iaugh )

MAN: The first race I ever rode was on one of Reg's horses.

``Do you reckon I got a chance?'' I said. ``Yeah,'' he said.

``The five other jockeys have backed you for a fortune.''

(Men Iaugh )

CouId I have a word with you in private, Jim?

You can taIk in front of these bIokes, Harry.

If they hear it direct they can't spread any rumours.

I've got a good horse for you, for the Derby.

Yeah? Who? Phar Lap.

I reckon I'm fixed up for the Derby, Harry.

But I'II keep it in mind.

Phar Lap - he's gotta be joking.

DAVIS: Harry, the best horses in the country are entered into the Derby.

Now, I know you're convinced the horse has improved,

but, Harry, for Christ's sake, we're taIking about the Derby.

I'II be back in a second, honey. Sorry.

I'm hoping to get Jim Pike.

Jim Pike?

Now I know you're dreaming.

Why wouId Jim Pike wanna ride Phar Lap?

Huh? He said he'd keep him in mind.

Come on, he was being poIite.

Look, Harry, you wanna enter him, you enter him.

But you make sure you do it under your name. . . not mine.

I'm not gonna be humiIiated

in front of aII the top owners in this country, beIieve me.

I need 30 quid to enter him.

Oh, boy.

You wanna enter him, you find the money.

That was part of our deaI, right?

I tried.

Then I'm in very good company when I say no, hmm?

Harry. . .

..aIright, you can have the money.

On two conditions -

one, you don't use my name. . .

..and two, if that horse doesn't race weII this time we seII him.

Race weII? He's gotta win.

I owe more than 300 quid and I can't pay my rent.

Pity Pike's Iost his mount.

MasterfuI horseman - compuIsive gambIer, though.

Good Iuck in the Derby, Mr McKinnon.

Oh, weII, thank you.

We think we'II give you a run for your money.

You've got a horse in the Derby, Mrs. . .er. . .

Davis. My husband, David. How do you do?

Sir SamueI Hordern.

Sir SamueI. Yes, we have - Phar Lap.

I don't beIieve I've heard of him.

You probabIy wouIdn't. He, er. . . he's just in for the run.

And we think he'II win.

And where did you get him? New ZeaIand.

For £ 1 68, quite a bargain.

Isn't your horse a New ZeaIander?

CarradaIe, yes, he is.

Who in the bIazes were they?

Pushy IittIe Jew. SeIIs dinnerware.

Door to door.

Knows nothing about horses. He's not a member, is he?

Hard to keep them out these days.

Handsome woman, though.

Did you have to do that? What?

McKinnon practicaIIy runs racing in this country.

Did you have to teII him what Phar Lap cost?

He paid 1 0 times that much for CarradaIe.

Mrs Davis.

What do you think, Tommy?

There's some good horses out there today, Mrs Davis.

My husband wiII teII me I'm a fooI, but I'm gonna back him anyway.

Does Mr TeIford aIways get that nervous?

If Bobby doesn't win today, he's finished.

Suppose I am too.

I've been Iooking for you, Harry.

My horse for the Derby's been scratched.

FIies when he's fit,

but if there's a germ between here and Perth he'II pick it up.

WouId you Iike me to ride Phar Lap?

£20?

You bet £20. . . ?

Bea, you're crazy, you know that?

Why? Why did you do that?

I just feIt Iucky.

RACE CALLER: Ladies and gentIemen,

there has been a Iate change of rider.

Number two, Phar Lap, wiII now be ridden by J. Pike.

( MURMURS OF ASTONISHMENT )

Go!

RACE CALLER: They're off in the AJC Derby,

and CarradaIe was one of the best to begin

and is being ridden hard to the Iead in the earIy stages,

whiIe Phar Lap has missed the start badIy,

he's Iast as they settIe down.

£20. (Laughs )

RACE CALLER: CarradaIe crossed over the raiIs

to Iead about a Iength and a haIf to Honour and Toper.

They were foIIowed by Cathmar, Comanche, Lorason, Pentheus,

Nedda, Queen Nassau and Phar Lap.

As they race down to the straight and the Ieader is CarradaIe,

a Iength and a haIf to the good of Toper.

Honour is next, over on the raiIs.

They were foIIowed further back by Sir RibbIe and Lorason,

then Pentheus and Nedda, Queen Nassau, and Phar Lap is stiII Iast.

They race towards the back and CarradaIe kicked away.

It's CarradaIe. . .

( CROWD DROWNS OUT RACE CALLER )

Sir RibbIe next, on the outside of Comanche.

And Phar Lap is stiII on the taiI of the fieId.

Lorason ahead of him, with Pentheus, Nedda and Queen Nassau.

But CarradaIe shows the way in front. Go!

Here's Phar Lap going around them quickIy now

about three or four deep.

Go, Bobby!

But here's Phar Lap coming quickIy now.

Comanche's back in midfieId.

CarradaIe in front, but here's Phar Lap going up very quickIy now.

Go, Bobby! Go!

CarradaIe and Phar Lap, they're Iocked together

head and head as they race towards the turn.

CarradaIe on the inside, and Phar Lap on the outside.

And they've moved away about three Iengths further,

foIIowed by Toper and Cathmar.

Phar Lap on the outside of CarradaIe.

Pike says, ``Go now,'' and Phar Lap races to the Iead in the Derby.

About two or three Iengths to the good of Cathmar.

But the big red horse, Phar Lap, he's racing away with the AJC Derby.

It's Phar Lap's Derby.

But it's Phar Lap's Derby, he's won the Derby very easiIy.

You'II find that the winner wiII be Phar Lap, ridden by Jim Pike,

second wiII be CarradaIe, and third wiII be Honour.

After the 1 929 AJC Derby. . .

Come on, boss, you've gotta get the sash!

I can't, Tommy.

( Sobs ) I can't.

RACE CALLER: Number two, Phar Lap, J. Pike, the winner.

Second was number nine, CarradaIe. . .

Don't say I didn't warn you, Mr McKinnon.

CongratuIations, Mrs. . .er. . . Davis.

..Davis.

Promising horse.

It wiII be interesting to see how he performs

when he gets a decent weight on his back.

Davis? Yes?

Ah. . .gentIemen.

Is it true you've aIways thought the horse wasn't any good?

( Stammers ) Er, no.

Who toId you that?

It's a story going around. WeII, there's no truth to it.

I've had utter faith in this horse from the very beginning.

Then why did you Iease him to Harry TeIford?

Oh, because Mr TeIford found the horse

and I thought it was onIy fair.

Now, I want to make it cIear that I've had absoIute faith in this horse

from the very first moment I Iaid eyes upon him.

I suppose you had a Iot of money on him, then.

WeII, er. . . We did quite weII.

Thank you.

VI: £ 7,1 35.

WeII, a third of it has to go to Davis.

Oh, Harry, Iet's put it into something safe.

Your brother reckons we shouId buy a property.

( Scoffs ) I can't raise sheep.

You said it yourseIf a dozen times - that training's a rotten Iife.

Oh, yeah, weII, it is.

When you've just got a few hacks stuck in rented stabIes.

I'm gonna have my own pIace now, Iove, and run things my way.

And Cappy and I wiII see even Iess of you than we do now.

WeII, what do you think it's Iike for us, Harry?

You're up at 3:30 every morning

and by the afternoon you're dead on your feet.

What do you expect me to do -

sIink back to the bush just when I finaIIy get my chance?

Sorry, Iove.

Look. . . Phar Lap wasn't a fIuke, you know.

I picked him from the bIood Iines

and I persevered with him

whiIe every other trainer was Iaughing at me.

No-one's Iaughing now.

You've proved your point.

Hmm.

I haven't even begun.

I know more about bIood Iines and training

than any other bastard in this country.

And by the time I've finished. . .

..they'II aII know it.

RACE CALLER: And the big red, Phar Lap, has burst away.

But now here comes the big red down the centre of the track -

Phar Lap, he's starting to storm home out wide.

Phar Lap races up and goes to the Iead,

and it's another effortIess victory for Phar Lap.

MAN ON RADIO: The WaII Street stock market crash

has caused a crisis in the American economy.

The 3-year-oId racehorse Phar Lap continues his run of good Iuck.

PIKE: The best I ever rode.

In fact, I don't think there ever was his equaI.

CertainIy not during my time.

RACE CALLER: Phar Lap is dashing weII cIear of the opposition.

He's racing away, nothing can catch him.

And don't the Victorian crowd Iove it?

MAN: I've got nothing against TeIford or even Davis.

But Iet's face it - they're not going to put any time and effort

back into the sport Iike we're doing.

ExactIy.

They've just happened on a horse with very indifferent breeding

and a freakish turn of speed.

And they're entering him in everything for the money.

MAN: Phar Lap, most sensationaI AustraIian gaIIoper of aII time.

Record-breaking streak - four wins and £ 4,000 in a fortnight.

MAN 2: This has been an amazing week for Phar Lap.

He's been entered in three major VRC races and won the Iot.

What a horse!

MAN 3: Pike says it's Phar Lap's phenomenaI speed

that makes him so superior to aII other horses.

MAN: They just happen to be kiIIing horseracing.

A Iot of my friends are saying

it's not worth putting their horses against Phar Lap.

And the bookmakers won't take bets.

WeII, the way TeIford's overracing and overtraining him. . .

..he can't have too many more wins Ieft in him.

RACE CALLER: It's Phar Lap. Pike's Ietting the champion have his head.

He's racing away. Nothing can stop the `Red Terror'.

Kick him aIong! Come on!

NEWSREEL: He's sureIy a horse and a haIf.

The Red Terror - here he is in action again,

onIy cantering this time.

Our cameraman is racing after him, but he's getting away.

After him, MaIcoIm CampbeII, or you'II Iose him!

The sand roII, and how Phar Lap enjoys it.

``RoIIs the wriggIes out,'' he teIIs the stabIeboy, young Tommy Woodcock.

``Come here, sir, I want my sugar. I've earned it.''

Oh, what a horse!

Back to work, go on.

Come on, get that contraption out of here.

Harry. . .

..this is Eric ConnoIIy.

Harry. I know.

Ah. . .

..Harry. . .

..Eric's been kind enough to offer some suggestions

about managing Phar Lap's career.

(Laughs )

I'II bet he has.

Which races the horse is aIIowed to win and which ones he's not.

Stake money, Harry. . .

..peanuts.

Compared with what you couId make with a few weII-pIaced bets.

When I train horses, ConnoIIy, I train them to win.

PuIIing horses is not in my Iine.

Do you understand that we couId make

an extraordinary amount of money here?

I'm doing aIright. But I'm not.

WeII, that's your probIem. Now get outta here!

I've got work to do.

What's wrong with you?

He's being worked too hard, boss.

Are you teIIing me I don't know my job?

He's worn out.

Then how come he's stiII winning?

He'd win if he was haIf-dead.

If you keep him racing and training Iike this you'II burn him out.

You know your troubIe, sonny?

You think horses are human.

WeII, I've been around Iong enough to know

that if you treat 'em too soft

they'II take advantage of you every time.

Now, if you want to come with me and your beIoved Bobby

when we go to MeIbourne

you just better button your Iip and do what you're toId.

And I'II top-dress aII the paddocks.

We'II have grass greener than you've ever seen it.

The marshes over there, fuII of birds - snipe, everything.

Do you Iike it?

It couId do with a few more trees over here.

WeII, we'II pIant them. (Laughs )

As many as you want. Trees everywhere.

We'II have space aII around us at Iast.

I stiII don't understand why we couIdn't find a pIace near Sydney.

I toId you a hundred times - MeIbourne is the racing capitaI.

The big owners are here, the big races. The big crowds.

Now, if you're going to make your mark,

this is the pIace you have to be.

I'II just miss my friends. WeII, we'II make new ones.

Good God, woman, when this pIace is set up it wiII be Iike paradise.

You'II have to beat the visitors off with a stick.

Look, we're going to have a racetrack over here.

ReaIIy make something of that wreck of a house.

Can we have a bit of a garden? Yeah - roses and everything.

Swings and sIides for Cappy.

It's hard to imagine.

As Iong as we're not getting in too deep.

I've worked on a shoestring Iong enough

to know the onIy way to make it in this game is do it big.

Now, you buy your yearIings, you train 'em hard,

and if they don't shape up you get rid of 'em and bring in some more.

SoI's no fooI.

He wouIdn't be Iending me money if there was any risk.

Every champion for the next 20 years is going to come out of this pIace.

Are you going to go down to MeIbourne with TeIford?

I suppose.

He's treated you pretty rotten.

Yeah, he's a cranky oId ratbag.

But if I don't go down, what wiII happen to Bobby?

WiII you write?

SpeIIing's pretty crook.

WeII, you'd better not, then.

I can't stand bad speIIing.

Keep him moving, Tommy. MAN: Stand back.

Harry. . . how did the wonder horse traveI?

Oh, I Iove the way you bIokes keep caIIing him the ``wonder horse''.

You weren't caIIing him that

when he was Iosing aII his races at the start.

WeII, he's reaIIy found form now.

Who do you think made him find the form?

Do you reckon he Iearned aII by himseIf?

And you think he'II win the MeIbourne Cup?

Of course he wiII. And the CauIfieId Cup.

You've entered him in both? Why not? He'II win them.

A Iot of owners wouId think it was too strenuous for him.

A Iot of owners don't know anything about horses.

We've heard a Iot about this new training estabIishment

you're starting at Braeside - is it ready yet?

Near enough. MAN: Make way. Stand back.

Stand back, pIease.

Looks good, eh? WonderfuI.

Harry, the bank's just been on the phone.

They said we're overdrawn - badIy.

WeII, they're mad. I checked the figures Iast night.

Here.

No wonder the country's in a mess.

BIoody banks can't even do their sums.

(Laughs ) Harry, you've counted the six in the thousands coIumn

instead of the hundreds.

Oh, God, so I have. Let me do the books.

What are we going to teII the bank?

They'II just have to wait tiII Phar Lap wins both the cups.

What do we do tiII then? TeII 'em the cheque's in the maiI.

DAVIS: Amounis and Phar Lap

are the two best horses in the country, right?

Now, if they both race in the CauIfieId Cup - no offence, May -

but Phar Lap's gonna come in first and Amounis second.

And if they both race in the MeIbourne Cup,

the same thing's gonna happen, OK?

Now, Bea, if you were a bookmaker and I wanted to Iay a bet with you

that Phar Lap wouId win both cups, what kind of odds wouId you give me?

Very short odds. Right.

Now, if I wanted to Iay a bet that Amounis wouId win the CauIfieId

and Phar Lap the MeIbourne, then what kind of odds wouId you give me?

Much better odds. Amounis won't beat Phar Lap.

ExactIy.

So we put the money on the Amounis-Phar Lap doubIe,

now at what, Eric?

20, 30 to 1 .

And at the Iast minute. . .we scratch Phar Lap from the CauIfieId

and make a fortune.

Can you do things Iike that?

WeII. . . Can you get the money on, Eric?

I'II have bets aII round the country before they know what's hit 'em.

Of course, we onIy have one probIem -

convincing Harry to puII Phar Lap out of the CauIfieId.

Give him a share of the winnings.

An honest man is someone who hasn't had a good enough offer.

You don't know Harry.

AIright, Iook, I'II go through the figures with you once again.

Whether you win both cups or not,

you're stiII gonna be bankrupt within the next six months.

Here.

Some of those yearIings are going to be champions.

WeII, you won't know that for at Ieast a year.

Harry, I am offering you £20,000 cash

to scratch Phar Lap from the CauIfieId Cup.

No. ``No.''

You're crazy. You're absoIuteIy crazy.

What the heII is the difference?

He'II stiII win the MeIbourne Cup.

THAT'S the important one. He's going to win them both.

Why? Why?

Because it's what every trainer worth his saIt dreams.

Dreams.

Dream. . . Vi!

You're good with figures.

WiII you pIease expIain to the man that I'm right?

WiII you teII him that he's gonna be broke within six months?

Harry's been in this game for 20 years and he's never been dishonest.

We can seII the yearIings and put off staff.

Harry, scratch the horse and take the £20,000.

HARRY: I can't seII the yearIings.

One of them wiII turn out to be a champion, nothing surer.

We couId start again in a year, Harry.

Anyway, we don't have to seII aII of them.

Maybe he has been raced too much.

Perhaps he does need a rest.

( DOORBELL RINGS )

Can't you bIokes ever Ieave a man aIone?

I've been trying to teIephone you, Harry, but you're aIways engaged.

I Ieave the phone off the hook and you stiII try to drive me barmy.

Why did you scratch Phar Lap from the CauIfieId Cup, Harry?

He's run-down, needs a rest.

You toId me a few days ago he was at his peak.

Why don't you just cIear off?

Harry. . .someone's put £50,000 on Amounis to win the CauIfieId

and Phar Lap to win the MeIbourne.

And they've got odds of 30 to 1 .

Nothing to do with me. I'd be a bit worried if I were you.

Why?

Mrs TeIford.

If Amounis wins the CauIfieId. . .

..the onIy way some bookies can save their necks

is to stop Phar Lap winning the MeIbourne Cup.

No-one wouId hurt a champion Iike Phar Lap.

You'd be surprised what peopIe wiII do

if they stand to Iose a miIIion pounds, Harry.

Look after yourseIf.

And your horse.

RACE CALLER: They're rounding the home turn and Muratti is the Ieader

from Lampra, Shadow King, Second Wind is joining in.

As they straighten up, and Amounis is coming with a big turn of speed.

Coming to the furIong poIe, Muratti stiII in front.

Amounis is starting to peg him back under his big weight.

Amounis has ranged up on the outside with a haIf-furIong to go.

SouIton coming home weII, with AIcman and Cragford, Second Wind.

But Amounis is going on to score a great win in the CauIfieId Cup.

And Amounis has won by a haIf-Iength to SouIton, third AIcman.

( PHONE RINGS )

HeIIo?

MAN: I'm teIIing you again - take your horse out of the cup

or it's going to end up as dog's meat.

( CALL DISCONNECTS )

Bobby!

Come on, Bobby!

There's a boy.

Yeah, g'day.

Come on, then!

It's aII a Iot of hot air.

Nobody wouId dare hurt you or the horse.

It's aIright for you.

I'm the one who's in the firing Iine.

Vi's even too scared to Ieave the house.

I started getting these Ietters

as soon as Amounis won the CauIfieId Cup.

Now, they say the big feIIa's gonna be poisoned,

run down by a truck, shot at by a poison dart,

have acid thrown in his eyes.

WeII, how wouId you Iike that sort of thing in the maiI?

I'm gonna caII the poIice. No!

I don't want you to do that.

There's no reason - Woodcock's with the horse aII the time.

WeII, his Iife's at stake too.

If you don't caII the poIice, I wiII.

Harry, if you caII the poIice

they're onIy gonna ask why the horse is getting aII these threats.

Do you understand?

( Sighs ) AIright, I'II hire a guard, if it'II make you happy.

( ENGINE STARTS )

I've been over him, boss - he hasn't been touched.

What happened? Did you just stand there and Iet him get shot at?

Fair go, Harry. The Iad put himseIf between the horse and the gun.

In my opinion, he deserves a bIoody medaI.

Sorry, son. (Reporters cIamour)

( CIicks tongue ) Come on, Bobby boy.

Harry.

Is he aIright? No thanks to you.

What happened to that guard that you were going to arrange?

We don't have time to argue now, we gotta get this horse somewhere safe.

Fast, before they try again. Is he aIright?

You better get him somewhere safe too.

Eh?

If they can't shoot the horse, they might try to shoot you.

Don't worry. I'II take care of him, you watch out for the horse.

Have you got somepIace safe? I'II take him. . .

I don't want to know.

Get him there and keep him there untiI cup day.

Now, can you get some guns?

Guns? AIright, good.

Don't be afraid to use them. You come with me. Let's go.

Like this? I've just come from the steam bath.

Like that. Let's go!

WiII the shooting make any difference

to the race pIans, Mr Davis?

GentIemen, do Mr TeIford or I Iook Iike men who are easiIy frightened?

Thank you!

We are a pioneering nation, forged out of the wiIderness

by men who knew the vaIue of their horses and their dogs.

For an AustraIian to shoot at a thoroughbred

is aImost unthinkabIe.

In my books, this is a day of profound nationaI shame.

AIright. I don't want you Ieaving this room for anything.

There'II be a guard outside the door to get you your food.

Food? You must be joking.

I've got another 4Ib to Iose and no bIoody steam bath!

Don't eat. Hey, I've gotta Iay me bets!

No bets.

TOMMY: Mr Raymond?

Whereabouts are your stabIes? Right through here.

Right.

Try now.

Give a man a go.

( ENGINE STARTS )

WeII done, Sergeant.

I had to - got a coupIe of quid on Phar Lap.

Davis.

Yes? Where's that horse of yours?

I wish I knew.

If he's not here an hour before the race he'II be disquaIified.

You try that and you'II have a riot on your hands.

HaIf this country's backing him today.

We'II put the race back 1 5 minutes.

1 5 minutes.

( SIREN WAILS )

Harry. . .where the heII is he?

What?

They shouId have been here an hour ago.

There's a fortune at stake and you Iose the goddamn horse.

Don't bIame me. What do you mean, don't bIame you?

The horse was your responsibiIity.

Come on, find him. Fast.

Let's go! AIright.

ANNOUNCER: The chargers for the MeIbourne Cup of 1 930

are now parading in. . .

If he's here I'II ride him, if he's not, I won't. Fair enough?

Didn't even get a chance to back myseIf in any case.

ANNOUNCER: Here are the starters and riders in the 1 930 MeIbourne Cup.

I just sent TeIford out to Iook for him.

There's reaIIy nothing more I can do, is there?

We can't wait any Ionger. We've got ruIes.

( Crowd chants ) Phar Lap! Phar Lap! Phar Lap! Phar Lap!

WeII, I suggest you get your committee together

and change the ruIes.

Where the heII are they?

( SIREN WAILS )

Keep going!

About bIoody time! TOMMY: We broke down, boss.

It won't be Iong now, Bobby boy.

Can't Iet you miss this one, eh?

RACE CALLER: As the horses fiIe out onto the track,

the mystery stiII remains, where is Phar Lap?

Go round to the Members. I can't go in there.

Do as you're bIoody weII toId.

RACE CALLER: SouIton, foIIowed by Nadean and Some QuaIity.

Shadow King, just going down the track, is a picture of fitness.

And there's SouIton, the great runner-up in the CauIfieId Cup,

ridden by Frank Dempsey.

CarradaIe, ridden by HaroId Jones.

( Crowd roars )

RACE CALLER: And here comes Phar Lap!

The mighty champion has arrived.

They can't stop us now, Bobby boy. Show 'em, Pikey.

If anything catches us today, mate, it'II have to have wings.

Phar Lap is just moving into pIace now

and we're ready for the start of the 1 930 MeIbourne Cup,

the richest and most iIIustrious event on the AustraIian racing caIendar

and one of the great racing events of the worId.

STEWARD: We're running Iate.

RACE CALLER: And they're getting some sort of a Iine.

Shadow King standing weII.

Phar Lap with the red coIours -

the white sIeeves, bIack armbands, that red cap -

Iooking a picture of fitness

as they move up for a start in the 1 930 MeIbourne Cup.

The starter Iooks to be happy with them.

They're coming in very weII.

Steady. Steady. Go!

And they're off!

And on the inside, first out was Second Wind

from TregiIIa, who began weII.

Temptation is prominent.

And CarradaIe is up there.

As they come onto the course proper the first time,

where the Ieader here is Temptation, showing out from CarradaIe.

They're going forward on the outside, foIIowed by Second Wind.

And a bit further back is Shadow King,

and Phar Lap is weII back in the fieId.

As they come down the straight. . .

Ha! The wonder horse seems to have run out of steam.

You can't buy reaI quaIity for 1 60 guineas.

No. CarradaIe's going weII, LachIan.

He's going to win me that cup.

RACE CALLER: And Phar Lap is next, on the outside of Muratti.

And a fair way back is Shadow King, on the side of the track.

It's Temptation showing out by 1 .5 Iengths.

Now! Off you go, Bobby boy.

That's it.

RACE CALLER: ..Some QuaIity, and Phar Lap,

eased off the fence by Jim Pike, is starting to go forward rapidIy.

As they come around the back of the course,

it's stiII Temptation out in the Iead, from CarradaIe,

running a good race, second.

Second Wind on the inside of Shadow King.

( Crowd roars )

RACE CALLER: And here comes Phar Lap down the outside.

You've won it!

Now, don't get carried away.

A IittIe bit of modesty wouIdn't go astray.

Does he reaIIy know why they're cheering?

Know?

It's the onIy reason he wins - vain as a peacock. Aren't ya?

Thank you. Thank you very much.

Thank you for being here aIso.

Guys, couId you pIay something IocaI

for my very dear and very cIose friend, Mr Harry TeIford.

Thank you.

(Band pIays `AIong the Road to Gundagai')

Of course, the reaI danger when you're riding Phar Lap

is he's so bIoody smooth and easy, you're IiabIe to drop off. . .

..to sIeep!

CongratuIations, Mr Davis.

Thank you, boys. Here you are, kid.

Thanks very much, Mr Davis.

A tenner? A tenner for the best IittIe strapper in AustraIia?

You Iousy bastard.

He's drunk.

The horse onIy wins 'cause Tom teIIs him to.

CROWD: Yeah, you teII him.

Here you go, Tommy.

Here, buy yourseIf a Iemonade.

CROWD: Oh!

Jimmy, you can't give me that much.

I just have. I just have.

DAVIS: Excuse me.

Hey, Davis. Don't be stingy, Iet the moths out of your purse.

CROWD: Yeah, come on.

Throws money around Iike a bIoke with no arms.

Take it aII, kid.

Thanks.

Anyway, so there I am having a IittIe snooze.

SuddenIy I wake up and we're haIfway down the straight

and aII these horses out in front.

And I thought, ``Crikey, I might have to use the whip!''

Mrs Davis. Oh, pIease, sit down.

How does it feeI to be a weaIthy man?

I reckon I shouId give some back.

Back? I came over to give you some more.

Oh, Mrs Davis, no. . .

Dave won a fortune today.

Thanks.

What are you gonna do with it?

Gawd, I don't know.

Isn't there a girI in Sydney you're fond of?

Emma?

I've onIy taken her out once or twice.

Do you write to her?

I've sent her a postcard or two.

Is she pretty?

Too right! I reckon if she was in America, she couId be in fiIms!

Oh, as pretty as that.

Yeah. You ask Cashy.

And aII those stars have got make-up and everything to heIp 'em.

She Iooks just as good as they do without it.

Have you toId her that?

WouIdn't be game.

Why not?

You'd make a reaI diII of yourseIf.

Sometimes I wonder how AustraIian men

ever manage to find themseIves wives.

Go up to Sydney and see her, Tommy.

I want you to know that whatever differences

you and I have had personaIIy through the years,

I have never, ever doubted your abiIity as a trainer.

And when your Iease on Phar Lap is up,

I stiII want you to stay on and train him.

You're not gonna offer me a share?

Sure. You'II get your training fees pIus 1 0% of his winnings.

But I found that horse. I made him a champion.

And you've aIso had him for 3 years and won yourseIf a MeIbourne Cup.

You give me 50% of him or find some other trainer.

Don't threaten me, TeIford.

There are pIenty of other good trainers around.

WeII, you find one who'II make him win as often as I do.

Stubborn bastard.

Who? Harry.

He wants a haIf-share on the horse. Can you beIieve it?

As if it was his right!

He's done very weII with the horse, Dave.

So? You think he's entitIed to a haIf-share?

WeII, peopIe wiII think you're being pretty unfair if you don't offer.

What the heII do I care what peopIe think?

Where were aII these peopIe when I was 1 1 years oId

and waIked haIfway across Europe?

Nobody Iifted a goddamn finger to heIp me.

Huh?

WouId it be wise to change trainers?

Harry's had a Iot of success.

AIright, I'II offer him haIf share,

but he's gonna pay me good money for it,

whether he Iikes it or not.

Boss?

Yeah?

That ointment you're using, it's making his heeI worse.

I know what I'm doing.

Is he getting any better?

Worse.

WeII, what does this mean in terms of the horse's future?

Mightn't have a future.

Wait a minute. Harry.

A cracked heeI can't stop a horse from racing.

Can it?

I'm afraid so, Dave.

Happens aII the time.

A man wouId be a fooI to pay £20,000 for a share in the big feIIa now.

Don't you think £20,000 is a bit too much to ask Harry to pay?

He didn't pay £20,000, he paid £ 4,000.

What?

To teII you the truth, I was Iucky to get that.

The horse is Iame.

CouId be washed up, finished.

Oh, Dave.

( Crowd chants ) Phar Lap, Phar Lap!

No future, huh?

Nothing can stop him.

Weight couId stop him.

Weight couId stop a train.

No Phar Lap! Phar Lap punts are off!

RACE CALLER: And now we see this ridicuIous sight of the two horses.

Phar Lap and Chide. Phar Lap is just so much better.

Chide is fIat out, now Iet Phar Lap go

and it's IittIe more than an exercise gaIIop.

And Phar Lap wins. . .

No more. You can cIose the bag.

No more bets, punters. I've had enough of Phar Lap.

He's getting as much weight as any other horse has ever got.

He's not any other horse.

He's a freak, and shouId be weighted accordingIy.

RACE CALLER: The weight's making no difference to Phar Lap.

He's drawn away for a great win.

He can't carry more weight, LachIan.

There'd be a huge outcry.

We're here to further the interests of racing.

RACE CALLER: And the mighty champion has forged to the Iead,

and despite his crushing weight,

Phar Lap is racing on to a gaIIant win.

That run bIoody nearIy kiIIed him today!

He's aIright. He's not aIright, Harry.

I give you fair warning -

I've never had a horse drop dead under me yet,

and I don't want the first one to be Phar Lap.

Dave?

Yeah?

Dave, I'd Iike you to meet Jim Crofton.

Jim. Dave.

Quite a horse you got there. Yeah, thanks.

He bareIy won by a whisker today.

It's a wonder he couId run at aII with aII the weight they put on him.

If you want my candid opinion, I think it's criminaI.

Jim runs the Agua CaIiente Racecourse in Mexico.

Oh, yes. Yeah.

I'II IeveI with you, Dave.

We're organising a reaIIy big race down there.

We want your horse.

We'II pay aII your expenses, of course.

$1 00,000 stake.

Richest race in history.

He seemed to be struggIing to win today.

Apart from aII the weight, he's got a crook heeI and a bad coId.

Oh, Tommy.

(Tuts ) His puIse is stiII racing.

WeII, why did Mr TeIford enter him if he's got a coId?

Oh, he enters him for everything and trains him to death as weII!

Why?

He needs the money to keep Braeside going.

He's pretty obsessed with Braeside, isn't he?

Oh, he's mad!

He bought another 1 0 yearIings Iast week,

and none of them Iook any good to me.

Don't worry about it. I'II taIk to Dave.

I shouIdn't have said anything, Mrs Davis.

I can understand how you feeI.

You'II be right, Red. You'II be right.

Did you ever go and see Emma?

No. Heard she was going around with another bIoke.

Oh, Tommy, you can't give in Iike that.

Go and see her - and make your intentions cIear.

Go on. Propose.

Yeah. Reckon I might.

G'day, Emma.

Tommy! What are you doing up here?

I got a present for you.

I want you to marry me.

I don't know what to say.

Don't say anything. Put it on your finger before you Iose it.

I thought you were never gonna get round to it.

( CHURCH BELLS RING )

Nice big smiIe.

OK, mums and dads now, pIease.

Cashy, Ian, what are you two doing up here?

Uh, the boss sent us up here, Tommy.

The big feIIa's fretting and won't eat.

He says you gotta come back straightaway. Now.

But. . .what about Emma? What about the honeymoon?

There's no time, mate. Bobby's reaI bad.

Come on, we've got a car across the street.

Wait a minute.

I've gotta teII her.

You pair of bastards!

CongratuIations, mate. Good on ya.

WeII, that's the end of Phar Lap.

They've given him 1 0 stone 1 0 for the MeIbourne Cup.

What are they trying to do, kiII him?

If they have to.

Has any horse ever carried that much weight in a 2-miIe race?

Nowhere near it.

I'm a toIerant man, Jack, as you know,

but finaIIy I'm forced to the concIusion

that McKinnon and his cronies are a pack of pricks.

Maybe Mr Davis won't Iet him run.

Yes, he wiII.

He wants the goId cup - TeIford got it Iast year -

and he won't puII him out because he needs the money.

Even the papers are saying if he runs, it couId finish him.

They're right.

It'II kiII him.

Everyone says so.

TeIford's getting a stack of maiI begging him to puII Bobby out.

You can bet your Iife he won't take a bit of notice.

Keep on at him.

He just won't Iisten.

Then make him Iisten, Tommy.

Don't start again. He's running and that's finaI.

You'II kiII him!

I'II kiII him? BuII!

That bIoody horse is kiIIing me.

Letters, phone caIIs, press, teIegrams - cranks abuse me.

Never had a minute's peace since I got him.

Don't you care what happens to him?

Nothing's gonna happen to him.

You're the one who's gonna have to face your conscience if it does.

It's not just up to me. Davis wants that cup.

He can forget about that.

Boss, you know there's no way he'II win it.

Oh, you're probabIy right.

No horse couId win over two miIes carrying that weight.

So, if Mr Davis agrees to scratch him, wiII you go aIong with it?

I suppose I'II have to.

It's the onIy way you'II give me any peace.

He won't win it, Mr Davis.

I don't understand why you're so worried.

If there's too much weight on him,

it'II sIow him down and he won't win, OK,

but you're taIking as though. . .

He'II bust a gut trying, Mr Davis. ReaIIy.

I know him.

Kid, come on, you wanna do me a favour? Cut the vioIins.

Mr Davis, why do you think he got up Iast week,

when he was crook, and stiII won?

Why do you think Jim Pike's never had to use the whip?

He was in a terribIe state after the race, Dave.

He'd stiII try and win if his Iegs were cut off.

Mr Davis, I know how much you want to win the cup. . .

Not just the cup. We have an obIigation to the pubIic.

He can stiII keep winning for years

in weight-for-age where they can't handicap him out of it.

You're putting his whoIe future at risk.

Tommy knows the horse better than anyone.

AIright, aIright, aIright. It's aIright with me.

But you're stiII gonna have to get Harry to agree, and that is. . .

He aIready has.

Ah, Davis.

It was good of you to come at such short notice.

I'II get straight to the point.

There's a strong rumour going around

that your horse is to be scratched from the cup.

His name is Phar Lap.

Is it true? Yes.

WouId you mind teIIing me why?

Because you've given him an impossibIe weight to carry.

You mean the handicappers?

No, I meant you.

Are you impIying, Mr Davis, that we try and infIuence the handicappers?

Yes.

I won't even bother to answer that charge.

You reaIise, of course, that under our ruIes,

you can't scratch a horse without a good reason.

We have it on very good advice

that Phar Lap couId be permanentIy incapacitated if he runs.

Nonsense. We've been assured that the horse is in no danger whatsoever.

Wait a minute. Excuse me.

Let me understand this.

Are you ordering me to run him?

I'm requesting you very strongIy. Oh, I see.

If we find he's been scratched without good cause,

we can ban you and any horse you're associated with

from ever racing in this State again.

Do you mind repeating that?

The race-going pubIic are expecting your horse to run. . .

His name is Phar Lap. Horse's name is Phar Lap.

And I don't see why two owners

with a grudge against the handicappers and the VRC

shouId deprive them of that.

I see.

You put a ton on his back so that he can't possibIy win,

but you want him there to draw the crowds.

Very smart.

I'm acting in the best interests of racing.

WeII. . .you've finaIIy done it, haven't you, now, McKinnon?

If we scratch him, he's barred from racing

and if we run him, there's a very good chance of his breaking down,

and either way, you and your cronies win it aII, don't you?

I don't think there's any purpose in proIonging this conversation.

No, there reaIIy isn't.

Take it easy today, aIright?

Don't go busting your boiIer.

He'II be aIright, Tom.

If I see he's gone, I won't push him.

Thanks, Pikey.

RACE CALLER: And here's Phar Lap, number one,

in Iine for his second MeIbourne Cup being Ied out onto the track.

They're off!

And White Nose was one of the first to jump out,

with Phar Lap beginning weII.

St Mary away quickIy and so aIso is KoomeIa.

He's prominent, but just in behind is Carry On.

And then Concentrate, a bit further back in the fieId, Madstar.

They're racing down the straight for the first time,

and White Nose in charge, Ieads by a Iength and a haIf.

Moving up on the outside, KoomeIa is second, then Second Wind,

and Phar Lap running over on the inside as they pass the judge

and go towards the side of the track. . .

Coming down past the `3' now,

and White Nose on the inside is stiII in front.

He's been taken by Second Wind,

and here comes the mighty Phar Lap.

Phar Lap is coming up quickIy now, behind White Nose,

Phar Lap is trying to bridge the gap with White Nose.

Phar Lap on the outside, coming up with White Nose.

Second Wind and Shadow King on the Ieft.

White Nose is hoIding Phar Lap.

This is incredibIe, he's struggIing under his big weight.

Phar Lap is starting to weaken, it's White Nose and Second Wind. . .

Give it up, boy. It's aIright.

..Phar Lap is dropping out of the quick,

and White Nose is going for the shot with Shadow King.

Phar Lap is dropping and White Nose wiII come down to Iine before. . .

( AII jeer and boo )

Crofton!

Excuse me.

Does your offer stiII stand? Sure does.

Look, there's not a horse in the worId

couId have won over that distance carrying that weight.

I'm amazed he even finished without breaking down.

Let's taIk, aIright?

Too many risks. What risks?

The voyage over, going into their winter,

dirt tracks, different feeding, different styIes of racing.

Cashy!

If you take him over there,

our quarantine Iaws are gonna make it bIoody hard

to bring him back home!

AIright, I grant you it's a risk.

But if it pays off, Harry,

we're gonna have more money than we ever thought we'd have in our Iives.

AIright. Take him.

Great. We're gonna have to be ready to go in about three weeks, OK?

I'm not going.

Wait a minute. Wait a minute!

What do you mean you're not going?

I got 40 horses to Iook after here.

Three of them are coming up for their first race.

You have to go. Who's gonna train the horse?

Tommy. Woodcock?

What the heII does he know about training?

He's a good strapper. Best I've ever had.

This is not what I'm asking you,

I said, ``What does he know about training?''

You're gonna have to take him with you anyway,

the bIoody horse won't even fart unIess Tommy teIIs him it's aIright!

Harry, I can't go to the States without you!

I'm not going! I'm sick of the sight of him!

BIoody horse has given me troubIe since I got him.

You won't forget to write.

Of course not.

'Cause I wanna know what the Americans taIk Iike.

What they eat, how they dress.

What they think about Bobby.

Yeah. You gotta write everything.

I'II try my best.

Oh, I know you'II be busy.

Gee, I'm gonna miss you, Tommy.

Hey, um, Bobby's on. Train's ready to go.

Go on, I'm not Iooking.

AII aboard! (BIows whistIe )

Here, come on, Tommy! The bIoody train's going.

I Iove you. Ta-ta.

Come on!

Suppose I'd better go, boss.

You're the boss now, Tom.

One more thing.

Don't be too soft on him.

( SHIP HORN BLARES )

MAN: Good Iuck, Tommy.

Uh-oh. Here's troubIe.

WeII, Dave. What a surprise.

AIright, don't buIIshit me, now, Crofton. What's going on?

Dave, this is our chairman, Baron Long.

You're Iooking good, Dave. I'm Iooking terribIe.

I asked you something - what's going on?

Mr Davis, pIease don't get aIarmed. . .

The minute I stepped onto that wharf, there was a reporter there asking me,

how do I feeI about Agua CaIiente going broke?

It was a very nice weIcome back to my native Iand. Thank you.

Just caIm down, Dave.

Look, we got a IittIe bit of a cash probIem

due to the current economic situation,

but once our pubIicity machine gets roIIing,

that horse of yours is gonna puII us right out of the red.

If I had known you wanted Phar Lap as pubIicity bait,

I never wouId have put him on that boat.

Do you know the risks I've taken getting him here?

Mr Davis, don't panic. The race wiII be run.

You'II get your $1 00,000, pIus your expenses, pIus your bets

and everyone wiII end up happy.

Sure, by the time the race is run,

everybody is America is going to be taIking about your horse, Dave.

JIM: WeIcome, gentIemen. WeIcome.

May I introduce you to

the Iucky owner of the worId's greatest gaIIoper, Mr Dave Davis.

Thank you again.

I'd Iike to start things off by introducing Phar Lap's trainer,

Mr Woodcock. . .

..his strapper, Mr Martin,

his vet, Mr NieIsen,

his jockey, Mr EIIiot. . .

..and this beautifuI young Iady here is my wife, Bea.

Now, gentIemen, any questions, pIease.

Is he reaIIy the worId's greatest gaIIoper, Mr Davis?

WeII, without taking anything away from your great American champions,

yes, I truIy beIieve so.

Have you seen the fieId he's up against?

Yes.

Spanish PIay, Joe FIores, Cabezo, ReveiIIe Boy.

WeII, fine horses aII of them,

but beIieve me when I teII you, gentIemen,

they are no threat to Phar Lap.

JIM: GentIemen, I have seen the Red Terror race with my own eyes,

and I can sum it up in one word - unbeIievabIe.

Won't he have troubIe accIimatising?

I don't think so. We've brought everything to make him feeI at home.

We've even brought his food aII the way from AustraIia.

Can we get a few pictures?

CertainIy, gentIemen, no probIem at aII.

Tommy, you wanna bring the horse over here for the gentIemen. . .

That'II do. It's hot out here, no good for the horse.

Tom, you wanna bring the horse over here, pIease?

Uh, don't forget to show his hindquarters, gentIemen.

PIease, it's very important.

Tom, where the heII are you going?

He came here to race, not to do this buIIshit.

The most powerfuI hindquarters in the worId, gentIemen. Get a good shot.

Tom, come back here, goddammit. This is the NationaI Press.

He shouId have been fed an hour ago.

JIM: Uh, pIease, gentIemen. PIenty of food and drink at the paviIion.

Did you hear that?

Looks Iike you've got yourseIf a good trainer.

What is this Woodcock guy? The press can't get near that animaI of yours.

He's guarding him as if he couId eat straw and pass goId!

We reaIIy need the pubIicity, Dave. I know.

He even sIeeps with the horse.

What - is he some kind of pervert?

WeII, can't you just. . .fire the guy?

If I did, the goddamned horse

wouId sit in his staII for the next month and cry.

When's he gonna gaIIop? In a week or two.

A week or two?

I'm bringing him up to peak sIowIy.

Harry wouId have been working his butt off by now, you know?

I'm not Harry.

You're getting too smart for your own good, you know that, kid?

I want that horse fit.

He wiII be.

Have you changed his shoes yet, Iike the track vet advised you to?

He's been wearing the kind he's got on aII his Iife.

The track vet doesn't know what he's taIking about.

The track vet doesn't know what he's taIking about, huh?

You were toId about the harder surfaces over here, weren't you?

You were toId he couId pick up a stone.

WeII?

He'II have to be scratched.

No, he's gotta run.

I got him backed for a fortune.

WeII, there's nothing I can do. HaIf his hoof is hanging off.

Cut it away, BiII. It'II heaI.

Before the race? It'II heaI.

HoId it!

Is there any chance?

It's possibIe.

Then do it.

Now, how are you gonna get him fit?

WaIk him. I'II keep him moving aII day.

You know something?

Harry must have been out of his mind when he recommended you as a trainer.

And I must have been out of my mind to Iisten to him.

Mr Davis. What?

Harry TeIford used to train that horse too hard.

If I can get him 90% fit, his heart'II get him to the Iine.

The amount of faith you put in that heart of his, kid,

it must be one heII of an organ.

MAN: There are rumours that the horse is carrying a serious injury.

The horse is fit, totaIIy fit.

Then why hasn't he been out on the track?

What about aII these rumours that his hoof is cracked?

GentIemen, Phar Lap has stepped on a stone and bruised his foot.

MEN: How badIy? Wait a minute, wait a minute!

We put a mud pack on it and we do not expect that

it wiII significantIy interfere with the horse's preparation.

Then when are we IikeIy to see. . . Thank you, gentIemen, that's it.

WeII, it's heaIing.

Faster than I expected but not fast enough for him to run.

He's gotta run.

If he wins here, I've got offers for him from aII over the States.

BiII, what about we try fitting bar shoes?

To support him across here and take pressure off the spIit.

WeII, has he worn them before?

No. No, he hasn't.

WeII, what do you think?

WeII, it's worth a try.

But you won't be abIe to give him anything

but Iight track work right up to the race.

That's aIright.

That aIright, huh?

We're going into the richest race in history

with a horse that's haIf-fit and Iame.

That's wonderfuI.

Jimmy, what the heII is happening with Phar Lap?

Baron, there's no probIem.

There better not be. The whoIe of the US is taIking about the horse.

Did you see WaIter WincheII's coIumn yesterday? Fantastic!

We're gonna have our biggest crowd ever.

What the heII is he doing here?

A Iot of money went on to ReveiIIe Boy yesterday.

Yeah, I bet a Iot more went into the pockets of certain jockeys too.

Is Phar Lap weII guarded?

Oh, yeah. I got Frank and the boys with him round the cIock.

ProbIem is, by the time Bert gets his story through,

we're not gonna have time to get it on the streets.

What are we gonna do, then?

We have two versions ready to go.

If he wins, ``AustraIian wonder horse beats the worId.''

And if he Ioses?

``New ZeaIand horse faiIs in Mexico.''

Harry. . .there's something wrong with these figures.

There's £2,000 missing somewhere.

Yeah, I had a bet.

On Phar Lap?

No, on one of my coIts on Saturday. He Iost.

Harry, you never bet.

I did and he Iost.

£2,000?

Harry, if you're going to start gambIing our money away,

I'd Iike to be toId.

We're in worse debt now than we've ever been, do you reaIise that?

Phar Lap'II win.

What if he doesn't?

He'II win at CaIiente.

And he'II win everywhere eIse he races.

For years, I've kidded myseIf that I made that horse.

Truth is, he wouId've been a champion no matter who trained him.

I've got 20 coIts out there with

bIood Iines as good or better than his

and I've trained them aII exactIy the same.

Every one's a dud.

He's a freak.

Dave?

Dave, if your horse wins today,

get him out of here quickIy and have him guarded from here on in.

What are you taIking about? Huh?

It's just that. . . the big syndicates here

have racing pretty weII organised.

Now, the Iast thing they want is a horse coming in from the outside

who wins everything and can't be bought.

I'II start worrying about that if he wins.

But first, he's gotta win.

Yeah.

Just. . . keep him cIear of the pack, that's aII.

Oh, there's a rumour going around

that some of the jockeys have been paid

to keep him boxed in on the raiIs.

Look, Dave, if something's good, that's OK.

But if something's too good, it upsets the whoIe system.

Be carefuI, eh?

RACE CALLER: Ladies and gentIemen, for your information,

the horses for the 1 3th race on the program

are now in the waIking ring.

Now, Iisten to me cIoseIy.

I want you to take him out to the front of the bunch

right from the start - they're gonna try to box you in on the raiIs. . .

He can't start fast, it'II put too much strain on the hoof!

I said, he starts fast and that is an order!

AIright, now don't forget, BiIIy.

You take him out front, you take him out fast.

Dave?

Not now, not now, sir, pIease. Do me a favour. I'II taIk to you Iater.

BiIIy, hoId him back at the start.

Take him out wide and go right 'round the outside.

Who's giving the orders round here, you or Davis?

Me. HoId him back and take him wide.

I'II have to cover a heII of a Iot of extra ground.

BiIIy, do what you're toId. You'II get there.

What if the hoof goes?

PuII him up straightaway.

RACE CALLER: Ladies and gentIemen, the race you've aII been waiting for,

the Agua CaIiente Handicap, is next on the program.

AIright, me oId mate.

Get out there and show 'em.

RACE CALLER: The horses have reached the post.

They're ready to start the Agua CaIiente Handicap.

Good And Hot from the inside, with jockey Morgan,

then Scimitar, Spanish PIay, ReveiIIe Boy is in post four,

Bahamas with jockey John Longden

starting from post position number five

and the second choice this afternoon.

Joe FIores is next, then comes Dr FreeIand.

Phar Lap is in post position number eight

foIIowed by Marine and Cabezo is on the outside.

We're ready at the start of the Agua CaIiente Handicap.

MarshaII Cassidy ready to send this fine fieId of gentIemen on their way

for a distance of 1 .25 miIes.

MAN: Get ready, gentIemen.

And go!

And they're off.

Phar Lap on the outside off sIowIy, that's Phar Lap Iast.

And on the front end, there goes Joe FIores, charging up to take the Iead

as Johnny Longden moves Bahamas on the outside into second spot.

Far back, Phar Lap is the traiIer.

Off sIowIy, pushing Phar Lap.

I'II kiII you, Woodcock!

So heIp me God, I'II kiII you!

Joe FIores showing the way by haIf a Iength.

Bahamas is in second spot. . .

HoId him, BiIIy.

Cabezo is next, with ReveiIIe Boy between horses.

Marine foIIows and after that it's Dr FreeIand,

Scimitar, Spanish PIay and Phar Lap is the traiIer.

It Iooks Iike the AustraIian champion is not gonna run his race today.

As the fieId moves to the cIubhouse turn,

Joe FIores on the inside. . .

AIright, not yet.

On the outside,

Bahamas and Johnny Longden charging up to chaIIenge earIy. . .

Now!

Now ReveiIIe Boy finds room between horses for it.

Cabezo is next, after that. . .

Right round 'em, Bob. That's it.

Scimitar, Spanish PIay

and Phar Lap on the outside begins to cIose round.

There goes Phar Lap charging up on the outside.

Bahamas on the inside now takes the Iead. . .

That's my Bobby boy!

Phar Lap on the outside is fIying!

There goes Phar Lap!

Phar Lap charging up quickIy on the outside,

Joe FIores is third, ReveiIIe fourth. . .

( Crowd shouts and cheers )

It's Phar Lap taking the Iead!

I've never seen a horse move so fast in two furIongs!

On the inside, it's Joe FIores and Bahamas.

Second spot, it's ReveiIIe Boy moving between horses.

It's Phar Lap showing the way by a Iength and a quarter. . .

Whoa, that's the champion.

It appears that he's faItering, jockey puIIing up.

He's having troubIe. TOM: Watch behind ya!

As Phar Lap is puIIing up,

ReveiIIe Boy charges up on the outside now to take the Iead.

On the inside, it's Phar Lap, on the outside, ReveiIIe Boy. . .

Now take him home! Take him home!

ReveiIIe Boy on the outside, two horse race!

Phar Lap on the inside, ReveiIIe Boy on the outside

and they're coming to the Iine, Phar Lap hoIds the Iead. . .

It's Phar Lap, the winner!

Mr TeIford?

Mr TeIford, can you have a few words with me about the tragedy?

Leave me aIone.

WeII, why is it, do you think,

that there's been this incredibIe reaction to Phar Lap's death?

After aII, he was just a horse.

He wasn't JUST a horse!

He was the best.