Phar Lap, Amounis and the $100 million Swindle by dp robertson

 Cover: Amounis (inside) defeating Phar Lap in the 1930 Warwick Stakes

Vicki

Thank you

NEW CHAPTERS WILL BE ADDED OVER THE COMING MONTHS 

“Phar Lap, Amounis and the $100 million Swindle” by dp robertson © 2020

All copying, broadcasting, resending or use in any way both commercially and privately without author’s permission is strictly prohibited.

90 years ago...

"Phar Lap, Amounis and the $100 million Swindle" tells the story of how a group of trainers, owners and high profile punters organised a Caulfield-Melbourne Cups double in 1930 to inflict one of the worst losses on Australian bookmakers. In modern valuation, it was worth millions.

 

Phar Lap on display at the Melbourne Museum (Wikipedia)

dp robertson in Brightwater

How to work the index

There are a few ways you can read this book. Keep reading down the page and you will automatically go to the next chapter (or blog). However, you will eventually make your way to the bottom of the page. To continue reading the next chapter simply click onto "older posts" and it will take you to the next set of chapters. Otherwise, at the end of each chapter, there is a link taking you back to this index. Each chapter listed in the index has its own link. Click onto whatever link you wish to read, and it will take you directly to the chapter. Also by pressing "home" at the bottom of the page will redirect you back to the index.

Chapters will be added through the spring racing carnival

If you are having trouble reading the size of font, and running Windows, go to the top right of the page and you will find three verticle dots. Click onto the dots, go to zoom, and press the "+" it will allow you to magnify the screen. 

I hope you enjoy "Phar Lap, Amounis and the $100 million Swindle". It is an expanded chapter from the yet to be published "The Oyster and the Wizard" by dp robertson on the lives of Lou and Andrew Robertson. Any grammatical, spelling (especially horses), or factual errors please let me know. Should you have any photos, especially private collection photos, you feel would benefit this story, again, love to hear from you. 

David Robertson

robertson.david.p@gmail.com

Index

"I saw Phar Lap"

https://pharlapamounis.blogspot.com/2020/10/i-saw-phar-lap.html

Paddy Wade (1878 – 1941)

https://pharlapamounis.blogspot.com/2020/10/paddy-wade-1878-1941.html

Andrew Robertson (1869 – 1948)

https://pharlapamounis.blogspot.com/2020/10/andrew-robertson-1869-1948.html

Night Raid

https://pharlapamounis.blogspot.com/2020/10/night-raid.html

Top Gallant

https://pharlapamounis.blogspot.com/2020/10/top-gallant.html

Alec Roberts (1860 – 1931)

https://pharlapamounis.blogspot.com/2020/10/alec-roberts-1860-1931.html

Harry Telford (1878 – 1960)

https://pharlapamounis.blogspot.com/2020/10/harry-telford-1878-1960.html

Nightmarch

https://pharlapamounis.blogspot.com/2020/10/nightmarch.html

Phar Lap

https://pharlapamounis.blogspot.com/2020/10/phar-lap.html

David J. Davis

https://pharlapamounis.blogspot.com/2020/10/david-j-davis.html

Trentham 1928: Lot 41 – A Champion

https://pharlapamounis.blogspot.com/2020/10/trentham-1928-lot-41-champion.html

Training Phar Lap

https://pharlapamounis.blogspot.com/2020/10/training-phar-lap.html

Eric Connolly (1880 – 1944)

https://pharlapamounis.blogspot.com/2020/10/eric-connolly-1880-1944.html

Amounis

https://pharlapamounis.blogspot.com/2020/10/amounis.html

Frank McGrath (1865 - 1947)

https://pharlapamounis.blogspot.com/2020/10/frank-mcgrath-1865-1947_23.html

Billy Pearson and the Vandenbergs

https://pharlapamounis.blogspot.com/2020/10/billy-pearson-and-vandenbergs_23.html

The 1929 spring racing carnival

https://pharlapamounis.blogspot.com/2020/10/1929-spring-racing-carnivals_23.html

The 1929 Melbourne Cup

https://pharlapamounis.blogspot.com/2020/10/the-1929-melbourne-cup_24.html

Lou Robertson: The Oyster (1875 - 1955)

https://pharlapamounis.blogspot.com/2020/10/lou-robertson-oyster-1875-1955_24.html

Planning and Friendships

https://pharlapamounis.blogspot.com/2020/10/planning-and-friendships.html

Connolly and Robertson

https://pharlapamounis.blogspot.com/2020/10/connolly-and-robertson_31.html

The Warwick Stakes

https://pharlapamounis.blogspot.com/2020/12/warwick-farm-1928-morning-herald-stars.html

Cragford, Alcman and Soulton

https://pharlapamounis.blogspot.com/2020/12/cragford-soulton-and-alcman.html

A Great Disappearing Act

1930 Caulfield Cup

Trying to kill Phar Lap

1930 Melbourne Cup

1931 Melbourne Cup

Les Darcy, the O’Sullivan connection and curse of America                 

Phar Lap heads for America

Triumph, Tragedy and a Perpetual Legacy

What happened to Harry Telford?

The Greatness of Frank McGrath and Lou Robertson

The Rules of Betting by Eric Connolly

Connolly and Vandenberg

Pike, Cook and Bracken

Just another day at the races

Acknowledgments - References – Bibliography - Index

Amounis winning the 1930 Caulfield Cup by ¾ length from Soulton.

Amounis’ trainer Frank McGrath (left) and jockey Billy Cook (Sydney Mail)

Phar Lap easily winning the 1930 Melbourne Cup from Second Wind & Shadow King 

(State Library Victoria)

“Phar Lap, Amounis and the $100 million Swindle” by dp robertson © 2020

All copying, broadcasting, resending or use in any way both commercially and privately without author’s permission is strictly prohibited.

“I saw Phar Lap.”

“Phar Lap, Amounis and the $100 million Swindle” by dp robertson © 2020

All copying, broadcasting, resending or use in any way both commercially and privately without author’s permission is strictly prohibited.

After Secretariat’s famous 1973 Belmont Stakes win by 30 lengths to secure an American Triple Crown in such extraordinary and record-breaking style, the famed US steward, Francis Dunne was asked by a reporter, what seemed like, a very straightforward question. For in 1973, Dunne remained one of only a handful of racing experts old enough to have witnessed two of America’s greatest racing legends, as well as every other racehorse in between.  “Which were the greater? Man o’ War or Secretariat?”  To the reporters’ surprise, Francis Dunne replied emphatically and without a moment’s hesitation to a parochial US racing press, “Neither. I saw Phar Lap.”  That reply said it all, for Dunne had never been alone in his assessment of the Australasian's “Red Terror”. Those who saw Phar Lap race, never forgot the experience. Magic, beauty and sheer thrill of seeing this huge thoroughbred stretching out effortless down the straight, almost floating away from the field, stayed with them always. 

 US steward, Francis Dunne (bloodhorse.com)

In the 1930 Melbourne Cup, Phar Lap’s started 8/11 as the shortest priced favourite in the race’s long history. His easy winning of the Cup saw bookies and Starting Price (SP) illegal off course operators around Australia lose an estimated $100 million in modern valuation due in large part to a devastating Caulfield-Melbourne Cup double. The original estimated loss started with a combined £200,000 being taken out of the Sydney and Melbourne rings. This grew with a further £200,000 out the remaining capital city rings, another £100,000 out of the regional rings. Then it was estimated as much as £500,000 may have been inflicted on the SP or illegal bookies. Depending on how you measure it, the spending power of £1,000,000 in 1930 would certainly afford you £100 million of real estate today, especially during a Depression. Taken on the pricing of general consumer goods, it could even be more. In reality, no one could accurately state for sure what exactly the real toll this double took on the nation’s bookies and SP operators. All there remains are estimates and even the most conservative guesses are crippling losses. 

Eric Connolly (left) and David J. Davis 

Ever since that fateful day, two men have been repeatedly credited, or blamed, with putting this devastating double together. Australia’s most notorious punter of the day, Eric Connolly working in conjunction with Phar Lap’s unpopular American part owner, David Davis.  Almost every book, film or article dealing with this double either directly or indirectly implicates Connolly as the mastermind behind the scheme. It has been this way for 90 years. Ever since Phar Lap cantered past the Flemington post that blustery Tuesday afternoon, and knowing bookies were to be slaughtered as a result, this “fact” of Connolly and Davis working in cahoots has never really been challenged.  “Phar Lap, Amounis and the $100 million Swindle” examines how this established story is not so clear cut. There were many more moving parts making up this amazing Cups double and involves many more players than just Eric Connolly and David J. Davis.  

“Phar Lap, Amounis and the $100 million Swindle” re-examines the story of trainer Harry Telford and Phar Lap while looking closely at this sting on the bookies. It reveals, and examines, for the first time, close lifetime relationships that were central to how this double succeeded. Relationships the central characters enjoyed long before Phar Lap and this double was conceived. Special attention is given to what really happened in the 1930 Caulfield Cup and how Amounis won at top weight while setting an Australian earnings record in the process. Also, the amazing story of the 1929 spring racing season and Melbourne Cup of that year.  It is here many of the real secrets of this scheme lie.  

“Phar Lap, Amounis and the $100 million Swindle” delves closely into the story of Phar Lap.  Special attention is given to Phar Lap’s breeding by Alec Roberts and the role of long forgotten international bloodstock agent Andrew Robertson and Wagga Wagga pastoralist Paddy Wade. Explained is the pivotal importance of “Underbank”, a magnificent stud owned by ex-bookmaker Sol Green and used by many in the racing community to agist, rest and revive their horses over the winter and summer breaks. Close attention is paid to the Amounis camp.  Owner Billy Pearson, his veteran trainer Frank McGrath and the mother and son big betting duo, the Vandenbergs, “Phar Lap, Amounis and the $100 million Swindle” takes the reader back into the murky world of Australasian racing of the 1920’s and 30’s.

“Phar Lap, Amounis and the $100 million Swindle” will help racing lovers and historian better understand why the horses that placed in the 1930 Caulfield Cup, and those men behind them, are so suspicious, and central, to this story.  One of which was my grandfather, Lou Robertson, a close lifelong friend and gambler of both Eric Connolly and Harry Telford.  

“Phar Lap, Amounis and the $100 million Swindle” by dp robertson © 2020

All copying, broadcasting, resending or use in any way both commercially and privately without author’s permission is strictly prohibited.

Return to index https://pharlapamounis.blogspot.com/2020/10/index.html

Night Raid

 

“If he had have stood in England, Night Raid would have been doomed to compulsory celibacy.” - English trainer Captain Tom Hogg  Queensland Times, 23 March 1932, page 8 

“Phar Lap, Amounis and the $100 million Swindle” by dp robertson © 2020

All copying, broadcasting, resending or use in any way both commercially and privately without author’s permission is strictly prohibited.

Phar Lap is the well known tale of a legendary horse plucked cheaply from an auction catalogue. Of an ugly duckling miraculously transforming into an undisputed champion about to conquer the world when dying a mysterious and tragic death. It is the inspiring story of his struggling trainer, Harry Telford, taking a huge, clumsy gelding and turning him into a legend. Yet, hiding behind these more familiar stories lies an unlikely breeding tale of how a discredited English stallion, Night Raid, was purchased by an obscure New Zealand breeder to go on and sire two of Australasia’s greatest racehorses of this era. The selling of Night Raid may have haunted Paddy Wade but how Night Raid came to New Zealand is the cornerstone of Phar Lap's story and how Harry Telford ended up with his champion racehorse.*

 * The Australasian 21 September 1929

A key ingredient to any great breeder, besides a thorough understanding of bloodlines, a fair helping of luck and mutant ability to cope with constant disappointment, is patience.  In the case of Night Raid, Paddy Wade’s patience ran out after one light season at stud. It is easy to see why Wade called upon Andrew Robertson’s expertise again. Yet, for all Robertson’s usual trumpeting of a Bend Or* sire line, the bloodstock agent tended to shy away from the male progeny of the last top-class son of Bend Or: Radium, the grandsire of Phar Lap.

* In 2012, a research project run jointly by Dr. Mim Bower of the McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research at Cambridge University and a team from the Royal Veterinary College were tasked with proving two of racing’s enduring questions – was the skeleton of the great racehorse and sire Eclipse, housed at the Royal Veterinary College, authentic? The short answer, yes.  The second question being posed to the teams; from the bones of Bend Or, archived in the Natural History Museum, could it be authenticated if his dam was Rouge Rose sired by Thormanby (the established bloodline) or is his dam Clemence by Newminster , making him really the stallion Tadcaster, as the rumour has persisted for the past 140 years? It turns out, through mitochondrial DNA, the horse which beat Robert the Devil in 1880 and becomes a cornerstone in thoroughbred breeding was in fact Tadacster out of Clemence and not Bend Or out of Rouge Rose. What this means is that thousands upon thousands of pedigrees need to be rewritten.  Needless to say, Dr. Bower and her team are probably as popular as plague in the corridors of the General Stud Books around the world. However, for the sake of argument, Bend Or will still be referenced as Bend Or out of Rouge Rose in this book (blog).

Night Raid’s sire: Leopold de Rothschild’s Radium

(The Sport Horse Show and Breed Database)

Owned and bred by Leopold de Rothschild, a member of the famed European banking house, Radium’s bloodline offered both a good racehorse and, potentially, an even greater sire. Foaled 1903, the same year as his famous father Bend Or died, it was noted that Radium, of all the sons of Bend Or, bore the most striking resemblance to his chestnut Dad.*  Although not a record-breaking champion, and far from possessing the incredible race record of Bend Or, Radium could never be written off as a failed racehorse. He won both the 1907 and 1908 Jockey Club Cups and came within a whisker of grabbing the 1908 UK Stayer’s Triple Crown. Winning the Doncaster and Goodwood Cups, Radium ran a close second to the Desmond sired The White Knight in the Ascot Gold Cup. These victories displayed phenomenal staying abilities. When it came to his time at stud, it was expected Radium would produce champion stayers.  Unfortunately, his long spell at Rothschild’s Southcourt Stud, Bedfordshire from 1909 to when he was put down in August 1922, did not throw up too many great racehorses much less superstars for the Rothschild stable.**

 *TB Heritage 

** While there were no superstars sired by Radium, there were some useful racehorses amongst his progeny. Rebus, foaled in 1914 won the Sydney Cup (1918) AJC Epsom (1918) and AJC Metropolitan (1919). Periosteum foaled in 1917 proved the rare exception winning the 1921 Ascot Gold Cup. Clarissimus foaled in 1913, won the 2000 Guineas (1916) as a three year old, the Champion Stakes at Newmarket (1916), and was second to Hurry On in the September Stakes (1916).  Illuminator won the 1921 Royal Hunt Cup. Condover won the 1923 Coronation Cup. Radium stayed at Southcourt Stud until he died in 1922. Winner of the 1918 Caulfield Cup, King Offa was sired by Radium

Bloodstock agents, including Andrew Robertson, grew increasingly lukewarm towards Radium’s male progeny.  Radium’s stud work was being made all the more ordinary compared with other more successful Bend Or stallions - Bona Vista*, Laveno**, Kendal***, Orbit****, Martagon*****and Ormonde.****** By the time Radium’s son Night Raid started disappointing Wade at Borambola Park Stud, the sons (and daughters) of Bona Vista, Laveno, Martagon and Ormonde were setting the breeding world alight with the likes of Cyllene, Martian and Orme. And they in turn had been producing champion sires, especially Cyllene. 

 *Bona Vista is responsible for siring Cyllene and from Cyllene all modern bloodlines tend to find their way back through his son Polymelus and especially his son Phalaris. Bona Vista also sired the mare Vahren, the dam of one of the greatest two year olds in turf history, The Tetrarch, Timeform rated him the world's #1 two year old for the 20th Century.    

**Laveno is sire to Lavella, dam to 1915 Caulfield Cup winner Lavendo. Both Lavella and Lavendo were purchased and imported by Andrew Robertson for Allendale Stock Farm. Lavendo was trained by Lou Robertson and also won Caulfield and Melbourne Stakes and the 1916 CB Fisher Plate. 

***Most famous for having sired 1897 UK Triple Crown winner Galtee More

****Was sent to South America at 4 and so successful and influential became known as the South American Stockwell siring over 600 winners

*****Besides Martian, Martagon also sired Cap Martin (St James Palace Staes 1898), Mazagan (Goodwood Cup (1900 & Jockey Cup 1899), Green Cap (Adelaide Cup 1917), Ian Or (Sydney Cup 1919), Lilyveil (Sydney Cup 1914), Magic (Goodwood Cup 1910), Shepherd King (Caulfield Cup 1916 – second in 1916 Melbourne Cup to Sasanof – sired by Martian) and Wool Winder (St Leger Stakes 1907 and second to Orby in the 1907 Epsom Derby)

******Besides siring Orme with his 18 starts and 14 wins including 1893 and 1894 Eclipse Stakes going on to be 1899 sire of the year and father of Triple Crown winner Flying Fox, Ormonde also sired Best Man (1894 July Cup) and contributed to US and Argentinian bloodlines. 

Born into a wealthy family of merchant bankers, Sir Frederick Stern is best remembered as a traveler, botanist and gardener extraordinaire.* Stern purchased “Highdown”, a tumbled down estate in Worthing, Surrey and in partnership with his wife Lady Sybil, transformed their ramshackle abode and surrounding gardens carved out of an old chalk quarry into a remarkable horticultural showpiece.  Frederick Stern’s other passion was horse racing. He, like any breeder, wanting to create a great stud first needed a quality broodmare.

*Sir Frederick Claude Stern (1884 – 1967) authored two books, “The Chalk Garden” and “Snowdrops and Snowflakes: the study of Galanthus and Leucojum”. He was knighted in 1956 for his services to Horticulture. Stern received a Military Cross for his heroic efforts at Gallipoli and Palestine and served as Lloyd George’s private secretary during the 1919 Paris Peace Conference. He attained the rank of Colonel.

Sir Frederick Stern (Highdown)

Paying a record price, Frederick Stern handed over a hefty £15,000 for the St. Frusquin* mare Flair, who was in foal to Spearmint, Carbine's son, when Sir Daniel Cooper dispersed his stud. There is no doubt Flair and Spearmint were an impressive match.  At one stage, they were stablemates trained by Peter (P.P.) Gilpin for the 1906 Epsom Derby and considered to be the two best three-year-olds in Britain. Many experts felt Flair the more likely to succeed in the Derby until she broke down during her preparation. Flair won the 1906 One Thousand Guineas but was forced into retirement after only five runs with four wins. Spearmint, also plagued with dodgy legs and only starting five times, nevertheless, saw two of his three victories include the 1906 Epsom Derby** and Grand Prix de Paris.  Bred by Sir Tatton Sykes, 5^th Baronet of Sledmere, Spearmint sold at the 1904 Doncaster Yearling Sales to Major Eustace Loder for only 300 guineas.***  

* A son of St. Simon out of Isabel coming down the West Australian-Melbourne Godolphin Arabian line

**Radium came fourth

***When Sykes sold Spearmint he found himself up against nine other yearlings sired by Isinglass, St. Simon and Persimmon.  All of which sold for well over 1,000 guineas each. Housed at Old Connell Stud at Newbridge, Kildare, Spearmint went on to sire between 1912 and 1925, 139 winner generating over £141,000 in stakes.  Yet the mares he produced proved to be of even greater value. Between 1917 and 1938, they bred nearly 260 winners generating close on £200,000. Among these hundreds of winners, Royal Lancer, winner of both the Irish and English St. Leger (1922) and Spion Kop, winner of the 1920 Epsom. 

Flair with Bernard Dillon 1906 (Wikipedia)

Loder presents as an archetypal Englishman, like something lifted straight out of a Boy’s Own manual or Michael Palin’s “Ripping Yarns”. Governed by rules and etiquette, having never married, his privileged life revolved around the army and horses punctuated by hunting, shooting and polo. Eustace Loder is associated with three great horses: Star Shoot, Pretty Polly* and Spearmint, all of which helped establish his nickname in racing of “Lucky” Loder.** To be fair, “Lucky” barely covers the Major’s good fortune and the size of his windfall in breeding Pretty Polly, winner of 22 of her 24 starts, and snaffling Spearmint at the price of a selling plate. Very few British horse owners could equal Loder’s success over his short, electrifying 15-year turf career. Spearmint may have been a good, if not fragile racehorse, but at 250 guineas a pop, his service fee was substantial and he proved a profitable sire to carry on the Carbine-Musket line. Matched with Spearmint, Flair gave foal to a filly, Sentiment, in 1912. Stern later matched Sentiment with Radium to produce Night Raid in 1918.

*Purchasing Eyrefield Lodge, Kildaire, Ireland, from steeplechase trainer Henry Linde, soon after bred champion sire Star Shoot. Sold to America, Star Shoot ended up in John Madden’s Hamburg Place Farm where he sired the first US Triple Crown winner, Sir Barton. Star Shoot became North America leading sire 1911,1912,1916,1917,1919 and leading sire of broodmares, 1914-29 (Pedigree Query). Loder bred one of the greatest racing mares of all time, Pretty Polly, winner of her 22 out of 24 starts including the Oaks, 1000 Guineas, St. Leger and Coronation Cup twice.

** Loder's success on the English turf was extraordinary and was achieved in a remarkably short time. He died in 1914 at the early age of 47. As a racing footnote, Loder was one of the three stewards, the others being ex-Prime Minister Lord Rosebery and Lord Wolverton, officiating at the infamous 1913 Derby, known as the “Suffragette Derby”. It was in this Derby where the suffragette martyr Emily Davison brought down King George V’s horse Anmer at Tattenham Corner, killing herself in the process. From a human perspective, this was an undeniable tragedy. From a political perspective, it was monumental for it assisted in the advancement of universal suffrage. From just a racing aspect, this incident was absolutely horrific. However, the shocking accident at Tattenham Cornerevent overshadows an extraordinary chain of events that occurred after the race. The Derby was awarded to 100-1 outsider Aboyeur after the favourite Craganour beat him by a neck. There had been no protest from any of the jockeys. Instead, this protest originated from the stewards who overturned the result in Aboyeur’s favour. Lord Rosebery, a three times winner of the Derby, Loder, having won it with Spearmint, and Wolverton all despised the owner of Craganour.

“The stewards objected to the winner on the grounds that he jostled the second horse. After hearing the evidence of the judge and several of the jockeys riding in the race, they found that Craganour, the winner, did not keep a straight course and interfered with Shogun, Day Comet and Aboyeur, having bumped the second horse.” 

However, there is a story within the story of this protest. The owner of Craganour was Charles Bower Ismay. Bower Ismay’s brother, J. Bruce Ismay, was Chairman and Managing Director of White Star Line, the owner of the ill-fated Titanic that went down with 2200 onboard, 1500 dying in the freezing waters of the North Atlantic in April 1912. The loss of so many lives caused in the main by a lack of lifeboats. Many who did manage to get off the Titanic were women and children. There was at least one notable exception to the women and children first in the lifeboats. Bruce Ismay gave himself a place on one of the lifeboats. A decision that went down as badly as the Titanic in English society. Rosebery, Wolverton and Loder all lost friends in the accident. Just to add a touch of soap opera to this unusual day at the races, Bower Ismay was carrying on an affair with Eustace Loder’s sister-in-law, Maggie. In an earlier time, such a thing would have provoked pistols at dawn. Therefore, when the protest on Craganour suddenly popped out of nowhere, generated by just the stewards, two of which being Lords and the third despising Bower Ismay above all other living beings, it was always going to end badly for Ismay. It would have been highly unlikely to see these men dismiss their own protest. 

The greatest son of Carbine: Spearmint (The Sport Horse Show and Breed Database)

Owner of Spearmint: Major Eustace Loder bloodline.net

Major Stern placed his bay yearling Night Raid into the Newmarket sale, selling him for only 100 guineas to Archie Douglas-Pennant and trainer/vet Captain Tom Hogg.* Neither Stern in selling him cheaply nor Douglas-Pennant and Hogg buying him, thought overly much of Night Raid as a yearling. One hundred guineas for a horse boasting Bend Or and Spearmint as grandsires along with four of the best great grandsires any breeder could wish for in Doncaster, Donovan, Carbine and St. Frusquin.  Yet right from the get-go Tom Hogg displayed very little interest in Night Raid before they too decided to sell him.  Besides not being able to envisage Night Raid developing into anything startling on the track, only a third place in a woefully weak selling plate, Captain Hogg never intended to match Night Raid with any of their expensive mares. Declaring, “If he had have stood in England, Night Raid would have been doomed to compulsory celibacy”, Douglas-Pennant and Hogg** sold Night Raid as a two-year-old at Newmarket in 1920 to Scottish trainer John McGuigan for 120 guineas.

*Captain Tom Hogg was a great trainer. He trained Happy Man to an Ascot Gold Cup (1923), Singapore to a St Leger (1930) and Doncaster Cup (1931) and Rose of England to an Oaks (1930)

**Captain Tom Hogg was scathing and highly sceptical of Night Raid ever being the real sire of Phar Lap. “Night Raid was very bad. He couldn’t win a race and his best effort was a third in a selling nursery handicap. On Night Raid’s very poor form it mystifies me how he ever sired such a wonder horse as Phar Lap. In addition to Nightmarch I can’t understand how it happened. Night Raid never looked like growing as a racehorse or as a stallion. He was so narrow and lacked size, substance and bone. We only gave 100 guineas for him as a yearling when stock was bringing good prices. And it wasn’t of any particular virtues that McGuigan purchased him when we sold him at the end of his two year old career.” Daily Standard, 22 March 1932 Hogg went on to say – “I still maintain the horses got mixed on shipboard. Some other horse was delivered to New Zealand instead of Night Raid. I cannot believe a horse we ever sold sired Phar Lap. No doubt it is stupid of me but in default of overwhelming evidence, I refused to be convinced. Horses cannot grow bone if they do not possess it. Therefore it is impossible to believe that Night Raid developed sufficiently even on the luscious grasses and oats of New Zealand (to sire Phar Lap and Nightmarch).” National Advocate 24 March 1932

Danny Maher winning on Spearmint in the 1906 Derby. Radium was fourth 

(Winners of the Derby)

McGuigan soon became frustrated by their lack of success and, like Tom Hogg, was even less enthused in using Night Raid at stud. He patronisingly felt Night Raid, “better suited for the colonies as a promising sire”.*  Late the following year, John McGuigan sold Night Raid to Sydney trainer Peter Keith for 950 guineas.** This price tag included the Cyllene sired Cymric, of which the bulk of the funds were for Cymric rather than Night Raid. Patiently Keith allowed over a year for Night Raid to acclimatise, yet by mid-1922 doubts about the wisdom of importing Night Raid was beginning to concern the trainer. Thinking his racing was not about to improve and stud value limited, Peter Keith was both receptive and relieved when Paddy Wade showed an interest in Night Raid. Then like a bouncing ball, Keith arranged to onsell him for a whopping profit, when Wade handed over 1,400 guineas. However, no sooner was he in Wade’s colours to race, it was as if the pastoralist had no clear plan on how to best use Night Raid. One moment he was racing, next in stud, serving inferior mares due to Borambola's main sire Colugo***, suddenly he's back on the track, then back in stud again unadvertised, unloved and unused. New Zealand born trainer George Jones took on the Herculean task of pulling Night Raid into shape while dealing with schizophrentic instructions from Wade. It was a thankless task proving, in the end, a fruitless exercise. Night Raid’s race fitness before a Melbourne Cup preparation proved as fragile as a china cup, like his second grandam Flair and grand damsire Spearmint. For the briefest of optimistic moments, Jones thought he may succeed when Night Raid irrevocably broke down in training.****

*Sydney Sportsman 16 February 1935

**Racetrack, January 1966. No.42 by Roger Crane - bookie, Joe Browne, may have partnered Peter Keith in these sales 

*** Wade matched Colugo with his New Zealand import Soultaria by Soult (a son of St. Simon) out of Pretoria, to produce the mare Gwillian G. In another moment in the life of Paddy Wade, horse owner, breeder, a giver away of great horses and swearing, the grazier sold Gwillian G as a yearling in 1925 for only 65 guineas to wool buyer Sam Marden. As stated in the paper, "Apparently her breeder, Mr. A.P. Wade did not think much of the filly to let her go at that figure." She won the 1930 Sydney Cup. The Referee 1930.

****The Australasian 21 September 1929

John McGuigan* & George Jones** 

(*Sydney Sportsman **The Sun)

Disappointed, Wade returned his stallion to stud in such a half hearted manner, the situation was never going to sit well for too long with the grazier. In his time at Wagga Wagga, Night Raid’s transition from a stayer, with 29 starts for one victory and a dead heat, to a sire proved equally as unsuccessful, and frustrating, as his ordinary race career. Yet it still begs the question, why Paddy Wade did not use Night Raid more considering his bloodline. While some things are obvious in hindsight, this is not. Wade should have and could have made more of Night Raid. Despite the large sum paid to Peter Keith, it becomes quickly evident, Wade thought very little of him in an alarmingly short space of time. When Andrew Robertson announced his re-entry into the world of international bloodstock, Underbank’s Sol Green, Kia-Ora Stud’s Percy Miller and Paddy Wade were all quick to take advantage of the Wizard’s bloodstock nous and proven negotiating skills. His influence on Wade may have been the reason Night Raid ended up at Borambola Park Stud in the first place. Equally, Robertson became instrumental in seeing Night Raid on a boat to New Zealand and out of Paddy Wade’s sight. 

Breeder Percy Miller (left) with bloodstock agent Andrew Robertson (Argus)  

George Jones lays the blame in selling Night Raid, squarely at the feet of Wade's bloodstock advisor and another breeder, very likely Wade’s close friend, Kia-Ora studmaster Percy Miller. Both men, according to Jones, put the kibosh on Night Raid’s chances of ever throwing up a champion. Jones claimed of having tried vainly to persuade Paddy Wade to keep Night Raid.  Apparently gifted with the third eye of an oracle, Jones kept repeating Night Raid would eventually be worth something as a stallion. Some racing identities can become a little loose in their recollections but in this case, Jones could well have predicted Night Raid’s siring skills. While Wade may have been influenced by Robertson and Miller, the dispensing of Night Raid ultimately rests with Paddy Wade. His growing dissatisfaction of Night Raid, expressed in ever increasing volume, obviously had George Jones’ overtures of confidence in Night Raid falling on deaf ears. When Night Raid finally received his heave-ho out of Borambola Park, so too did George Jones find his services with Wade terminated. Those training duties were now taken up by Andrew Robertson’s younger brother, Lou.  Wade’s frustrations of Night Raid are mentioned in passing by winning Melbourne Cup, Hall of Fame jockey Bobby Lewis.  

“When Top Gallant went to stud, he took Night Raid’s place.  On one occasion when I was visiting Mr. Wade’s stud farm outside Wagga, and riding through the paddocks, Mr. Wade said, “What do you think of those bullocks?” “They’re prime,” I said, “but let’s get over and look at those horses.” “Don’t bother about them,” he said, “they’re only by Night Raid. I was glad to sell him, and he’s gone to New Zealand.” Mr. Wade has a fine son Bert, who met with a severe accident from which he has not yet recovered*  I’m going to Sydney to spend a few days with him, and he will tell me how his father will try to breed a Phar Lap!”** 

*Bert Wade died from his injuries after falling out of a tree

**Barrier Miner 5 January 1934

When Wade wanted something done, there was little negotiation to be had. Robertson may have shared his opinions and offered advice, but it was Paddy Wade who gave the orders. By effectively consigning Night Raid to second fiddle behind his highly rated The Welkin sired Colugo, the mares offered to Night Raid in Australia were second rate.* They were certainly nothing of the calibre he later served in New Zealand such as Entreaty, dam of Phar Lap and particularly Marsa, the Martian sired dam of Nightmarch. Robertson and Wade contacted breeders, bloodstock agents and owners in Australia and New Zealand about Night Raid's availability only to find an unenthusiastic reception awaiting in both countries. 

*Colugo’s most successful progeny, out of Soultoria by Soult was 1930 Sydney Cup winner Gwillian G

Night Raid bloodline (Pedigree Query)

Eventually, some interest was shown through the South Island real estate and bloodstock agent of Pine Gould Guinness, Bob Heron. One of his Timaru neighbours, a small breeder Alec Roberts happened to be on the hunt for an imported sire and fancied the idea of a Radium sireline.* It does become a little fuzzy just how the deal came together. Somewhere in the mix is Timaru local Washdyke trainer P.T "Pat" Hogan who also assisted in Night Raid ending up with Roberts.** Yet we know during this period Robertson assisted Wade in nearly all his bloodstock decisions. We also know he regularly visited New Zealand, to see his sons and in his capacity as a bloodstock purchaser for Australian clients while a valued consultant for New Zealand breeders. If Andrew Robertson shared his opinion on a horse, it did carry a great deal of authority. His presence in this deal would provide enough impetus for Roberts to come to a decision quicker than his usual dithering.   

* Evening Star, 1 March 1939

** Press, 4 June 1929

Sometimes, Andrew Robertson found himself in something of a dilemma. He was, for the most part, unscrupulously honest. Yet also equally aware who paid the bills. In this case, Paddy Wade. Therefore it was in the bloodstock agent's best interest to have Night Raid out of Wagga Wagga as quickly as possible to clear the decks for Top Gallant. Robertson was not about to disparage the potential siring ability of Night Raid, even if he did secretly harbour thoughts of him being a dud. Before discussing Night Raid with Wade, there is every likelihood Roberts first sounded out opinions from Andrew Robertson, George Jones, bloodstock expert and auctioneer Ken Austin, and his neighbours Heron and Hogan.

Whether or not any of these men expressed genuine confidence in Night Raid’s abilities at stud, was in many respects immaterial. They all knew Night Raid to be a far greater sire than anything Roberts owned up to this point in his breeding career. Compared to most imported English stallions, all the men would have viewed Night Raid a remarkably cheap purchase at 700 guineas. Still, Roberts needed assurance, being equally aware of investing far more in Night Raid than any other horse in his buying past. Eventually, the planets aligned, presenting Roberts with the cheapest Bend Or sire in Australasia and for Wade to salvage some funds from his unprofitable stallion.  A deal struck with both Alec Roberts and Paddy Wade walking away with what they wanted. 

“Phar Lap, Amounis and the $100 million Swindle” by dp robertson © 2020

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