Peter Pan III

Thoroughbred racehorse infobox
horsename = Peter Pan


caption = Winning the 1933 AJC St. Leger with jockey Jim Pike.
sire = Pantheon
grandsire = Tracery
dam = Alwina
damsire = St. Alwyne
sex = Stallion
foaled = 1929
country = Australia
colour = Chestnut
breeder = Rodney R. Dangar
owner = Rodney R. Dangar
trainer = Frank McGrath, Sr.
record = 38: 23-6-1
earnings = AUD$69,976
race = AJC Derby (1932)
Melbourne Stakes (1932, 1934)
Melbourne Cup (1932, 1934)
Hill Stakes (1932, 1935)
AJC Plate (1933)
Randwick Stakes (1933, 1935)
AJC St Leger (1933)
All Aged Stakes (1935)
Rawson Stakes (1935)
Craven Plate (1935)
Jubilee Cup (1935)
awards=
honours = Australian Racing Hall of Fame
updated= March 11, 2007

Peter Pan was an Australian thoroughbred horse by Pantheon (GB) out of Alwina by St Alwyne (GB). He was foaled at the Baroona Stud north of Sydney Australia in 1929. Conditioned by future Hall of Fame trainer, Frank McGrath, Sr., Peter Pan raced early in the 1930s during the Great Depression, and with Phar Lap and Chatham were household names at the time. Frank McGrath, Sr. and many others considered Peter Pan to be a much better horse than Phar Lap.

Peter Pan was made famous for winning the Melbourne Cup twice, in 1932 and 1934. In the running of the 1932 Melbourne Cup, Peter Pan, carrying Jim Pike 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 Dennis Boy who bumped the champion back onto his feet. From there, Peter Pan can be seen racing past the pack to take out the cup by a neck. When Peter Pan was led in to 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 Melbourne Cup. Frank McGrath Snr. personally nursed the great horse back to health. Peter Pan won his 1934 Melbourne Cup carrying Darby Munro at 9st 10 lb 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 VRC Derby and the MacKinnon Stakes.

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. 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 Frank McGrath Snr reluctantly agreed to start Peter Pan in the 1935 Melbourne Cup. The great horse carried 10st 5 lb (the weight carried by Carbine to win the 1890 Melbourne Cup but finished 13th. He was immediately retired to stud.

Peter Pan stood at Rodney R. Dangar's country property Baroona, Whittingham, Singleton, New South Wales where he exclusively serviced his owner's mares. Peter Pan sired the stakeswinners Grampian, Peter and Precept. Peter placed 2nd in the 1944 Melbourne Cup.

Peter Pan is buried at Baroona, Whittingham, Singleton, New South Wales. [http://www.tbheritage.com/TurfHallmarks/Graves/GraveMattersIndex.html]

External links

* [http://www.racinghalloffame.com.au/ Australian Racing Hall of Fame]
* [http://www.pedigreequery.com/peter+pan3 Peter Pan's pedigree and partial racing stats]