Phar Lap Page #6

and Phar Lap is well

back in the field.

As they come down the straight...

Ha! The wonder horse seems

to have run out of steam.

You can't buy real quality

for 160 guineas.

- No.

- Carradale's going well, Lachlan.

He's going to win me that cup.

And Phar Lap is next,

on the outside of Muratti.

And a fair way back is Shadow King,

on the side of the track.

It's Temptation showing

out by 1.5 lengths.

Now! Off you go, Bobby boy.

That's it.

Some Quality

and Phar Lap,

eased off the fence by Jim Pike,

is starting to go forward rapidly.

As they come around

the back of the course,

it's still Temptation out in the lead,

from Carradale,

running a good race, second.

Second Wind on the

inside of Shadow King.

And here comes Phar Lap

down the outside.

You've won it!

Now, don't get carried away.

A little bit of modesty

wouldn't go astray.

Does he really know

why they're cheering?

Know?

It's the only reason he wins.

Vain as a peacock, aren't ya?

Thank you. Thank you very much.

Thank you for being here also.

Guys, could you play something local

for my very dear and very close

friend, Mr. Harry Telford.

Thank you.

(Band plays 'Along the Road

to Gundagai')

Of course, the real danger

when you're riding Phar Lap

is he's so bloody smooth and easy,

you're liable to drop off...

...to sleep!

Congratulations, Mr. Davis.

Thank you, boys. Here you are, kid.

Thanks very much, Mr. Davis.

A tenner? A tenner for the best

little strapper in Australia?

You lousy bastard.

He's drunk.

The horse only wins

'cause Tom tells him to.

Yeah, you tell him.

Here you go, Tommy.

Here, buy yourself a lemonade.

Jimmy, you can't give me that much.

I just have. I just have.

Excuse me.

Hey, Davis. Don't be stingy,

let the moths out of your purse.

Yeah, come on.

Throws money around

like a bloke with no arms.

Take it all, kid.

Thanks.

Anyway, so there

I am having a little snooze.

Suddenly I wake up and

we're halfway down the straight

and all these horses out in front.

And I thought, "Crikey,

I might have to use the whip!"

- Mrs. Davis.

- Oh, please, sit down.

How does it feel to be a wealthy man?

I reckon I should give some back.

Back? I came over

to give you some more.

Oh, Mrs. Davis, no...

Dave won a fortune today.

Thanks.

What are you gonna do with it?

God, I don't know.

Isn't there a girl

in Sydney you're fond of?

Emma?

I've only taken her out once or twice.

Do you write to her?

I've sent her a postcard or two.

Is she pretty?

Too right! I reckon if she was

in America, she could be in films!

Oh, as pretty as that.

Yeah. You ask Cashy.

And all those stars have got

make-up and everything to help 'em.

She looks just as good

as they do without it.

Have you told her that?

Wouldn't be game.

Why not?

You'd make a real dill of yourself.

Sometimes I wonder

how Australian men

ever manage to find themselves wives.

Go up to Sydney and see her, Tommy.

I want you to know

that whatever differences

you and I have had

personally through the years,

I have never, ever doubted

your ability as a trainer.

And when your lease

on Phar Lap is up,

I still want you

to stay on and train him.

You're not gonna offer me a share?

Sure. You'll get your training

fees plus 10% of his winnings.

But I found that horse.

I made him a champion.

And you've also had him for 3 years

and won yourself a Melbourne Cup.

You give me 50% of him

or find some other trainer.

Don't threaten me, Telford.

There are plenty of other

good trainers around.

Well, you find one who'll make

him win as often as I do.

Stubborn bastard.

- Who?

- Harry.

He wants a half-share on the horse.

Can you believe it?

As if it was his right!

He's done very well

with the horse, Dave.

So? You think he's entitled

to a half-share?

Well, people will think you're being

pretty unfair if you don't offer.

What the hell do I care

what people think?

Where were all these people

when I was 11 years old

and walked halfway across Europe?

Nobody lifted a goddamn

finger to help me.

Would it be wise to change trainers?

Harry's had a lot of success.

Alright, I'll offer him half share

but he's gonna pay me

good money for it,

whether he likes it or not.

Boss?

Yeah?

That ointment you're using,

it's making his heel worse.

I know what I'm doing.

Is he getting any better?

Worse.

Well, what does this mean

in terms of the horse's future?

Mightn't have a future.

Wait a minute. Harry.

A cracked heel can't stop

a horse from racing.

Can it?

I'm afraid so, Dave.

Happens all the time.

A man would be a fool to pay 20,000

for a share in the big fella now.

Don't you think 20,000 is a bit

too much to ask Harry to pay?

He didn't pay 20,000,

he paid 4,000.

What?

To tell you the truth,

I was lucky to get that.

The horse is lame.

Could be washed up, finished.

Oh, Dave.

Phar Lap, Phar Lap!

No future, huh?

Nothing can stop him.

Weight could stop him.

Weight could stop a train.

No Phar Lap! Phar Lap punts are off!

And now we see this

ridiculous sight of the two horses.

Phar Lap and Chide.

Phar Lap is just so much better.

Chide is flat out,

now let Phar Lap go

and it's little more

than an exercise gallop.

And Phar Lap wins...

No more. You can close the bag.

No more bets, punters.

I've had enough of Phar Lap.

He's getting as much weight

as any other horse has ever got.

He's not any other horse.

He's a freak and should

be weighted accordingly.

The weight's making

no difference to Phar Lap.

He's drawn away for a great win.

He can't carry more weight, Lachlan.

There'd be a huge outcry.

We're here to further

the interests of racing.

And the mighty champion

has forged to the lead,

and despite his crushing weight,

Phar Lap is racing

on to a gallant win.

That run bloody nearly

killed him today!

- He's alright.

- He's not alright, Harry.

I give you fair warning -

I've never had a horse

drop dead under me yet

and I don't want the first

one to be Phar Lap.

Dave?

Yeah?

Dave, I'd like you

to meet Jim Crofton.

- Jim.

- Dave.

- Quite a horse you got there.

- Yeah, thanks.

He barely won by a whisker today.

It's a wonder he could run at all

with all the weight they put on him.

If you want my candid opinion,

I think it's criminal.

Jim runs the Agua Caliente

Racecourse in Mexico.

Oh, yes. Yeah.

I'll level with you, Dave.

We're organising a really

big race down there.

We want your horse.

We'll pay all your expenses,

of course.

$100,000 stake.

Richest race in history.

He seemed to be struggling

to win today.

Apart from all the weight, he's got

a crook heel and a bad cold.

Oh, Tommy.

His pulse is still racing.

Well, why did Mr. Telford enter

him if he's got a cold?

Oh, he enters him for everything

and trains him to death as well!

Why?

He needs the money

to keep Braeside going.

He's pretty obsessed

with Braeside, isn't he?

Oh, he's mad!

He bought another

10 yearlings last week,

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes