Peter Pan (1929–1941) was a chestnut

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a list of horse breeds, horse breed developed for Thoroughbred racing, horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thorough ...

racehorse and stallion.

Background

Peter Pan was sired by Pantheon (GB) out of Alwina by St Alwyne (GB). He was foaled at the Baroona Homestead near Singleton NSW in 1929. His sire, Pantheon was an outstanding racehorse winning 10 races from 44 starts in England and Australia. Alwina did not race, but was a good broodmare.Pring, Peter; "Analysis of Champion Racehorses", The Thoroughbred Press, Sydney, 1977, Peter Pan was known for having an unusual colouring for a Thoroughbred. He was chestnut with a blonde mane and tail. Frank McGrath's wife loved Peter Pan for his colouring and racing beauty.

Racing career

Conditioned by future

Hall of Fame A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or Wiktionary:fame, fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actu ...

trainer Frank McGrath, Sr., Peter Pan raced early in the 1930s during the

Great Depression The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...

and with

Phar Lap Phar Lap (4 October 1926 – 5 April 1932) was a New Zealand-born champion Australian Thoroughbred horse racing, racehorse. Achieving great success during his distinguished career, his initial underdog status gave people hope during the ear ...

, Chatham and

Rogilla Rogilla was a chestnut Australian thoroughbred gelding, who was a versatile racehorse performing in Australia. Known as the ''Coalfields Champion'' from Newcastle, Rogilla raced during a vintage era of the Australian turf. He won in each of the ...

, all household names at the time. Frank McGrath, Sr. and some others considered Peter Pan to possibly be a better horse than

. Peter Pan was famous for winning the

Melbourne Cup The Melbourne Cup is an annual Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race held in Melbourne, Australia, at the Flemington Racecourse. It is a 3200-metre race for three-year-olds and older, conducted by the Victoria Racing Club that forms part of the ...

twice, in 1932 and 1934. In the running of the 1932 Melbourne Cup, Peter Pan, carrying Billy Duncan, was travelling at the rear of the pack when he clipped the heels of the horse in front and fell to his knees. Running behind him was his stablemate Denis Boy, who bumped the champion back onto his feet. From there, Peter Pan raced past the pack to take out the race by a neck. When he was led into the winner's circle, a grass stain was clearly visible on his face. In 1933, Peter Pan fought a near-fatal viral disease that swept Sydney's racing stables and did not contest the

. Frank McGrath Snr. personally nursed the horse back to health. Peter Pan won his 1934 Melbourne Cup carrying

Darby Munro David Hugh "Darby" Munro (5 March 1913 – 3 April 1966) also known as "the Demon" or the "Brown Bomber" was an Aboriginal Australian jockey born in Caulfield. He was a three-time winner of the Melbourne Cup. He has been described as "arguab ...

at on his back and from an outside draw on a heavy track, hence his long odds of 14/1. In 1932, he also won the

AJC Derby The Australian Derby is an Australian Turf Club Group One, Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds at set weights held at Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, Australia in April, during the Autumn Australian Turf Club, ATC Championships Carniv ...

and the

MacKinnon Stakes The VRC Champions Stakes, registered as the ''LKS Mackinnon Stakes'', is a Victoria Racing Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race run under Weight for Age conditions over a distance of 2000 metres at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia o ...

. To win two Melbourne Cups is a rare feat, and this with his fine record gained him a place in the

Australian Racing Hall of Fame The Australian Racing Hall of Fame is part of the Australian Racing Museum which documents and honours the horse racing, horseracing legends of Australia. The museum officially opened in 1981 and created the Hall of Fame in 2000. The numbers i ...

. To date, he remains the only Melbourne Cup winning horse to win multiple Melbourne Cups in non-consecutive years. In 1935, Peter Pan suffered a recurrence of the illness that nearly killed him in 1933. Once again, Frank McGrath Snr. nursed him back to health but the horse was not his old self. Out of loyalty to the enormous public following that Peter Pan had gained, Rodney R. Dangar and McGrath agreed to start Peter Pan in the 1935

. The horse carried (a pound more than carried by

Carbine A carbine ( or ) is a long gun that has a barrel shortened from its original length. Most modern carbines are rifles that are compact versions of a longer rifle or are rifles chambered for less powerful cartridges. The smaller size and ligh ...

to win the 1890

) but finished 13th. He was retired to stud the following year.

Image gallery

File:PETER PAN lll VRC MELBOURNE CUP 1932 & 1934.JPG, Peter Pan at Flemington jockey

File:Peter Pan 1935 AJC Spring Stakes Jockey Jim Pike Trainer Frank McGrath.jpg, Peter Pan 1935 Spring Stakes jockey Jim Pike File:PETER PAN lll 1933 AJC ST LEGER JIM PIKE.JPG, Peter Pan 1933

AJC St Leger The AJC St Leger is an historical Australian Turf Club Thoroughbred horse race run over 2,600 metres (~1 5/8 miles) at Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, run under set weights with penalties for stayers three years and older. History The AJC St ...

jockey Jim Pike File:Peter Pan 1934 VRC Melbourne Cup Jockey Darby Munro Trainer Frank McGrath.jpg, Peter Pan 1934 Melbourne Cup File:Nma.img-ci20092429-668-ei-vs1.jpg, 1934 Melbourne Cup won by Peter Pan

1933 and 1934 racebooks

File:1933 AJC DONCASTER HANDICAP RACEBOOK P1.jpg, 1933 AJC St Leger racebook File:1933 AJC St Leger Racebook P2.jpg, Inside cover showing race day officials File:1933 AJC St Leger Racebook.jpg, Conditions & starters showing the winner, Peter Pan Image: 1934 VRC MELBOURNE CUP RACEBOOK P1.jpg, 1934 VRC Melbourne Cup racebook with train & turnstile passes Image: 1934 VRC MELBOURNE CUP RACEBOOK P2.jpg, Conditions & Starters showing the winner, Peter Pan Image: 1934 VRC MELBOURNE CUP RACEBOOK P3.jpg, 1934 VRC Melbourne Cup racebook Image: 1934 VRC MELBOURNE CUP RACEBOOK P4.jpg, 1934 VRC Melbourne Cup racebook Image: 1934 VRC Melbourne Cup Racebook P5.jpg, Back cover showing race day railway arrangements File:1934 VRC Duke of Gloucester Cup Racebook P1.jpg, 1934 VRC Duke of Gloucester Cup racebook

Stud career

Peter Pan stood at Rodney R. Dangar's country property Baroona, Whittingham,

Singleton, New South Wales Singleton is a town on the banks of the Hunter River (New South Wales), Hunter River in New South Wales, Australia. Singleton is 202km (126 mi) north-north-west of Sydney, and 70 km (43 mi) north-west of Newcastle, New South Wales ...

, where he exclusively covered his owner's mares. His stud career was cut short when he broke his leg in 1941 and was destroyed. Peter Pan is buried at Baroona, Whittingham,

. Peter Pan sired the stakeswinners Grampian, Peter and Precept, who won the Moonee Valley Stakes and VRC Derby. Peter won the Williamstown Cup and placed 2nd in the 1944

Honours

In 1978 he was honoured on a

postage stamp A postage stamp is a small piece of paper issued by a post office, postal administration, or other authorized vendors to customers who pay postage (the cost involved in moving, insuring, or registering mail). Then the stamp is affixed to the f ...

issued by

Australia Post Australia Post, formally the Australian Postal Corporation and also known as AusPost, is an Australian Government-State-owned enterprise, owned corporation that provides postal services throughout Australia. Australia Post's head office is loca ...

References

External links

Australian Racing Hall of Fame

Peter Pan's pedigree and partial racing stats

Peter Pan 1934 Melbourne Cup trophy, National Museum of Australia
{{DEFAULTSORT:Peter Pan Iii 1929 racehorse births 1941 racehorse deaths Australian Racing Hall of Fame horses Melbourne Cup winners Racehorses trained in Australia Racehorses bred in Australia Thoroughbred family 3