Western Mail (Perth, WA : 1885 - 1954), Thursday 10 November 1938, page 16


Memories of Phar Lap,

^EMORIES of Phar Lap were revived

wheo, the Manitoba colt Aurania, carrying the colours made famous by the chestnut champion, won the Maribyr-nong Plate at Flemington on the opening day of the V.R.C. Spring meeting. Zn winning Aurania also vindicated the judgment of his trainer, H. R. Telford.

At the time that Phar Lap was clinch-ing his claims as the greatest Australian racehorse of all time, Harry Telford also had in his stables a mare called Rondalina, who little more than paid her way on the turf. But Telford always con-sidered that she had great breeding value, and while he sold many of his other mares he retained Rondalina and mated her with the English she Mani-toba. The fruits of that confidence were reaped at Flemington when Rondalina's son, Aurania, won the rich two-year-old classic so impressively, coming with a "Phar Lap" finish to snatch victory in the last few strides from Australia's greatest two-year-olds. Aurania was not a public fancy. He started at a conservative price of 33 to 1, but Eric Connolly, who is a great believer in Tel-ford as a trainer, and whose uncanny judgment often leaves the ring stagger-ing, cleaned up several thousands over the success. . Aurania has the confor-mation of a four-year-old and he needed it to overcome the huge start which he conceded the leaders, Merry Smile, Lime-rick Lace, Aspire and Zonda, even in the last furlong. It seemed a hopeless chase, but with huge strides Aurania mowed down horse after horse, and. al-though the verdict was only half a neck, Aurania would have won by lengths in

another half furlong. Aspire drew the rajls, but Merry Smile and Limerick Lace were too brilliant for him and he was cut out. For two furlongs his rider, Frank Dempsey, awaited a run on the rails, but finally he was forced to pull almost to the centre of the track. It meant a real disadvantage, but Aspire responded well and until Aurania put in his claim, the colt looked a certain win-

ner.