KENNY-DOWALL
The Kiwi Xpress
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November 9, 2005
A TROPHY that was claimed to be the 1930 Melbourne Cup won by Phar Lap has been found to be a fake.
The Victoria Racing Club (VRC) today examined the cup, which was brought to light by New South Wales car dealer Bob Todd.
Mr Todd said he became the owner of the trophy after an elderly man offered it with a sum of cash in exchange for a car in 1998.
Phar Lap easily won the 1930 race even though his handicap meant he was carrying 4kg more than any other four-year-old horse had ever carried in a Melbourne Cup.
The trophy later went missing.
Despite expressing doubts about the cup's authenticity seven years ago, the VRC today held a meeting to examine photographs and archival material, after a watermark discovered on the base of the cup reignited debate.
Experts at the meeting agreed the cup was not Phar Lap's trophy.
Among the most defining evidence was a photo supplied by Museum Victoria, historian Andrew Lemon said.
"It shows that the inscription on the cup clearly differs from that of the Todd trophy, in the wording and in the style of lettering," Mr Lemon said.
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Both cups are inscribed 'Melbourne Cup' and '1930', but the original includes the owner-trainer's name, 'Won By Mr H.R. Telford's Phar Lap,' he said.
Mr Lemon said other evidence included the logbook of 1930 cup maker James Steeth detailing the exact weight of the trophy, 35 troy ounces (nearly 1.1kg), which was heavier than Mr Todd's trophy (915 grams).
The Steeth records also show that in 1931 the VRC reduced the cup trophy to 28.12 troy ounces (882.6 grams) because the state government introduced a sales tax of six per cent on jewellery items and the VRC had to keep the cost of the trophy to within its two-hundred pounds budget, Mr Lemon said.
Mr Todd said he believed the photographic evidence.
"I appreciate the efforts of everyone involved in today's meeting. It's been a fascinating exercise," Mr Todd said through a VRC spokesman.
Also at today's meeting with Mr Todd, VRC officials and historians were Stuart Bishop of Hardy Brothers jewellers, who has been the maker of the trophy since 2001, and James Steeth's grandson Michael Steeth.
Also present was Melbourne engraver Paul Smith.
Mr Lemon said the original 1930 trophy, if found, would be worth up to $30,000 for the gold alone and could fetch about $1 million for its historic value at auction.
A TROPHY that was claimed to be the 1930 Melbourne Cup won by Phar Lap has been found to be a fake.
The Victoria Racing Club (VRC) today examined the cup, which was brought to light by New South Wales car dealer Bob Todd.
Mr Todd said he became the owner of the trophy after an elderly man offered it with a sum of cash in exchange for a car in 1998.
Phar Lap easily won the 1930 race even though his handicap meant he was carrying 4kg more than any other four-year-old horse had ever carried in a Melbourne Cup.
The trophy later went missing.
Despite expressing doubts about the cup's authenticity seven years ago, the VRC today held a meeting to examine photographs and archival material, after a watermark discovered on the base of the cup reignited debate.
Experts at the meeting agreed the cup was not Phar Lap's trophy.
Among the most defining evidence was a photo supplied by Museum Victoria, historian Andrew Lemon said.
"It shows that the inscription on the cup clearly differs from that of the Todd trophy, in the wording and in the style of lettering," Mr Lemon said.
Advertisement:
Both cups are inscribed 'Melbourne Cup' and '1930', but the original includes the owner-trainer's name, 'Won By Mr H.R. Telford's Phar Lap,' he said.
Mr Lemon said other evidence included the logbook of 1930 cup maker James Steeth detailing the exact weight of the trophy, 35 troy ounces (nearly 1.1kg), which was heavier than Mr Todd's trophy (915 grams).
The Steeth records also show that in 1931 the VRC reduced the cup trophy to 28.12 troy ounces (882.6 grams) because the state government introduced a sales tax of six per cent on jewellery items and the VRC had to keep the cost of the trophy to within its two-hundred pounds budget, Mr Lemon said.
Mr Todd said he believed the photographic evidence.
"I appreciate the efforts of everyone involved in today's meeting. It's been a fascinating exercise," Mr Todd said through a VRC spokesman.
Also at today's meeting with Mr Todd, VRC officials and historians were Stuart Bishop of Hardy Brothers jewellers, who has been the maker of the trophy since 2001, and James Steeth's grandson Michael Steeth.
Also present was Melbourne engraver Paul Smith.
Mr Lemon said the original 1930 trophy, if found, would be worth up to $30,000 for the gold alone and could fetch about $1 million for its historic value at auction.
