Phar Lap wins the 1930 Melbourne Cup

Phar Lap wins the 1930 Melbourne Cup.

Of the 41 Kiwi-bred winners of the Melbourne Cup, Phar Lap perhaps stands out from the rest. Timaru-born, he became a ray of sunshine during the lean years of the Great Depression.

In his first attempt at the Melbourne Cup in 1929 Phar Lap finished third behind another Kiwi-bred horse, Nightmarch. The latter could have become a true champion on the Australasian scene had he not had the misfortune to race at the same time as Phar Lap, who between 1930 and 1932 won 32 out of 35 races.

Phar Lap remains the shortest-priced favourite in Cup history, winning in 1930 at odds of 8-11. Amazingly Phar Lap won on all four days of the 1930 Flemington Spring Carnival.