If it wasn’t for Phar Lap it is likely that Peter Pan might be revered by the Australian public. He was a true champion of the turf who managed to fight his way out of the shadow of Big Red in the hearts and minds of many. Peter Pan was foaled three years after Phar Lap and had his first start a little over a month after the death of the great idol of Australian racing. Perhaps fittingly he did little in his only two-year-old start, finishing a moderate twelfth of eighteen at Randwick behind a horse called Diamond De Rouge who was touted as an exceptional talent. Sadly he was to prove fickle, a horse with undoubted talent but not much heart for racing much to the chagrin of punters. Not long after the race, Peter Pan was to suffer an injury that almost claimed his life as a nail in his hoof caused an infection. The time off though was to help the big colt develop and by the time he stepped out as a 3yo, his trainer Frank McGrath had been telling plenty that he had a new champion in his ranks.
ut before we get to the racing career of the champion, we need to look at his origins. Peter Pan was a son of the English horse Pantheon who had competed with distinction against local champions Windbag and Manfred. He was out of the unraced St Alwyne mare, Alwina who had been bred by Fred and Will Moses. She had been purchased as a yearling by Mr Rodney Rouse Dangar for 200 guineas and he retained her for breeding. Her full brother in Sir Alwyne had won the 1925 WA Derby. Dangar had Alwina put into training, but she was never to make it to a race. In the breeding barn, her first foal was to be a moderate country performer in Rosabel by Rosewing. Alwina was not to go into foal the following season, but in 1928 she was covered by Pantheon who had been imported to Australia by Joe and Cecil Brien who raced Rampion. He was by the great stallion Tracery out of Scotch Rose, a half-sister to Roseway who had won the One Thousand Guineas. Pantheon, originally raced as Spalpeen, won two of his first three starts in England. William Allison recommended the horse to Joe Brien who was able to purchase him for 2400 guineas. He was to have a limited racing career in Australia winning £15,900 in stakes. Pantheon may have been unlucky not to have won the 1926 Melbourne Cup. He had started the 9/4 favourite when third behind Spearfelt, after a controversial ride by Jim Pike. In 1928 he
