Phar Lap with his trainer Tommy Woodcock, Mexico, 1932

Phar Lap is a legend of Australian sporting history. His sensational rise from humble beginnings captured the public’s imagination during the difficult years of the 1930s Great Depression. Sydney-based Australian trainer Harry Telford purchased Phar Lap for £160 with the help of American businessman David J. Davis. A young jockey, Aaron Treve (‘Tommy’) Woodcock, was employed by Telford as a strapper to care for Phar Lap. Woodcock and Phar Lap soon established a legendary partnership.