Phar Lap, known as the �Red Terror� was Australasia�s greatest racehorse. Among his greatest wins was the 1930 Melbourne Cup. He started 51 races and won 37 times. So dominant in races was Phar Lap, that he was forced to carry massive handicap weight � and still won. His last race won and in record time was the Aguas Caliente Handicap in the USA.

Phar Lap died under mysterious circumstances. He died hemorrhaging in the arms of his trainer Tommy Woodcock. Although an autopsy failed to reveal the cause of death, till today it is widely believed that he was poisoned in the USA. Phar Lap was a symbol of hope and courage in Depression-hit Australia of the 1930s. His heart was 1.5 times the size of a normal thoroughbre�s, and veterinary surgeons claimed that this was the reason for Phar Lap�s extraordinary strength and valour. The expression �a heart as big as Phar Lap�s� remains an Australian accolade for a human or animal with more than its share of courage. Phar Lap�s extraordinarily massive heart can today be seen at the Museum of Australia in Canberra.