Search Victorian Collections Search Close. Showing items matching australian horse racing,. Warrnambool and District Historical Society Inc. This replica booklet documenting the details of the winning races by the thoroughbred racehorse Phar Lap shows the continuing interest today in the exploits of Phar Lap in the s. Phar Lap captured the imagination of the Australian public during the Great Depression with his 37 wins from 51 starts, including a Melbourne Cup.
He died in the USA in in controversial circumstances. At the time he was the third highest stakes winner in the world. His preserved hide is on display at the Melbourne Museum. The booklet could be used in exhibits. It has a reproduction colour image on the front cover of a painting of Phar Lap and his jockey from the Melbourne Cup Day Official Programme. This is a reproduction of the original booklet, published by Toohey's Brewery.
Draught horses were a crucial aspect of life in the early days of European settlement, and were heavily depended upon for both transport and agricultural labour. Peppercorn trees at the corner of Station and Brooklyn roads have been associated with a horse trough installed there to provide a drink to workhorses carting produce to the chaff mills and railway station south of Melton.
Pioneer of the Victorian horse racing industry and early Rockbank squatter William Cross Yuille was one of the earliest importers of stud racehorses in the district in the s. A leading sports editor and writer, Yuille established bloodstock auctioning agency W.
According to early Melton chronicler Alexander Cameron, horse races were first organised in the area by Rockbank farmer William Keating. Staughton, who built a small wooden grandstand in Other early races and sports meetings are said to have been held in the vicinity of the current-day Melton golf course.
