Phar Lap

Phar Lap (which means Lightning) was the appropriately-named Thoroughbred racehorse that took Australia by storm!  Born in 1926 in New Zealand, he went on to win 32 of his 35 starts, coming in second in two of the other three.  His sudden death during a US visit at only six years old created controversy that continues to this day.  In 2000, equine specialists concluded that he had died of acute bacterial gastroenteritis, while in 2006, Australian scientists determined he had died from a single, massive dose of arsenic, fanning the speculation that he'd been killed by American gangsters who didn't want the Melbourne Cup winner creating havoc with their bookies.  In the short span of his life, he became an icon to Australian and New Zealand and is immortalized with a bronze statue near his birthplace. 20th Century Fox made a movie about this much-loved racing icon, and in 2024, he became one of very few CollectA portrait models.   These are new inventory, straight from the manufacturer to our store.   Size:  6.6" L x 4.2" H Model #80017