Lot 86

Jim Pike (1892 - 1969), jockey for Phar Lap 1929-1931
Thence by descent

This set of racing colours were worn by legendary jockey Jim Pike aboard Australia's iconic racehorse, Phar Lap, during his 1931 season, the year after Phar Lap won the Melbourne Cup with jockey Jim Pike. The original silks in red with black and white hooped sleeves from the 1930 Melbourne Cup win are housed in the Melbourne Museum, Victoria. In 1931 when ownership arrangements changed for Phar Lap, the silk colours also changed to red with red and green hoops on the sleeve and a black cap.

This second set of silks are the present lot being sold by Jim Pike's grandson.

Racing colours are both practical identifiers and also deeply personal emblems. Passed through generations, instantly recognisable to racing enthusiasts, and immortalised in winners' photographs, they have become visual shorthand for sporting greatness.

Races won by Jim Pike upon Phar Lap during the 1931 racing season:
4th March: Kings Plate VRC
25th August: Underwood Stakes Caulfield
3rd September: Memsie Stakes Caulfield
19th September: RRC Spring Stakes
3rd October: AJC Spring Stakes Randwick
7th October: AJC Craven Plate Randwick
10th October: AJC Randwick Plate Randwick
24th October: W.S. Cox Plate
31st October: Melbourne Stakes Flemington

In addition to the above, Phar Lap was placed 2nd in the CM Lloyd Stakes on 7th March 1931 and 8th in the Melbourne Cup in the same year. The Melbourne Cup of 1931 was Phar Lap's last race in Australia before being taken to America where he died on 5th April, 1932, in California.