Pen and Ink Portraits.

Observer, Volume 2, Issue 48, 13 August 1881, Page 550

Pen and Ink Portraits.

No. 26.— Fred Archer.

Fouk-AND-twenty years ago William Archer, a distinguished cross-country rider, had a son. William Archer lived at Prestbury, near Cheltenham (England), the hotbed of Ritualism ; yet lie preferred to put his son in( o the pigskin rather than into the Church. Accordingly young Fred, having begun to ride at the age of six, was launched on a career of pony and donkey races, in which he carried all before him. He also soon became known as a bold and good rider over the Gloucestershire stone Avails with the Cotswold Hounds ; and finally he was taken to Newmarket and apprenticed for five years to Matthew Dawson, the trainer of racehorses. The first winning mount he had was in a steeple-chase at Bangor on the famous pony Maid of Kent, when he was yet but eleven years old and weighed only four stone eleven pounds. In 1872, however, being then fifteen, lie won the Cesarewitch on Salvanos, after which all the best handicap riding became his, together Avith a certain career. In 1874 he barely missed the same race again on the Truth gelding ; but in 1876 he did win it a second time on Rosebery, and received for his winning fee a thousand pounds, the largest sum he had ever been paid. And now Lord Falmouth's first jockey dying, Fred Archer was appointed to succeed him, and was put in all the great weight-for-age races at Newmarket and elsewhere. In 1574, being then seventeen, he Avon his first "Two Thousand" on the comparative outsider Atlantic, and in the same year he rode — without shirt or stockings — the Truth gelding at a weight of six stone one, for the Cesarewitch. Since then his career has been one of unbroken success ; and he has won nearly every great race, including the Derby three times, on Silvio, Bend Or, and Iroquois ; the Oaks three times, on Spinaway, Jannette, and Wheel of Fortune ; the St. Leger tAvice, on Silvio and Jannette ; the Tavo Thousand tAvice, on Atlantic and Charibert ; and the One Thousand twice, on SpinaAvay and Wheel of Fortune. His handicap and Aveight-for-age victories haA r e also "been very remarkable. They include five City and Suburbans (three in succession), two CesareAvitch's, five Clearwell Stakes, two Great Eastern Handicaps, tAvo Dewhurst Plates, two Ascot Queen's Vases, two Stewards' Cups at Goodwood, four Yorkshire Oaks, three York Cups, four Champagne Stakes, and tAvo Liverpool Cups. He has also Avon a great number of big races once ; in fact, the only historic events in which he has as yet failed to score are the Ascot, Goodwood, Chester, and Doncaster Cups, the Cambridgeshire and the Middle Park Plate. Most of the classic races he won for Lord Falinouth except the Derby on Bend Or, when he eclipsed all his former triumphs by literally snatching the victory out of the jaAA r s of Robert the Devil, and that in spite of his OAVn disabled right arm and the disappointments Bend Or encountered during the race. This same disabled arm, caused by ahorse having "savaged" him above the elboAV, kept him long out of the saddle, and, together with his increasing weight, prevented him from riding in so many handicaps as heretofore, and thus reduced his winning score. The score, hoAvever, is marvellous. In eight years between the beginning of 1873 and the end of 1880 he has ridden into first, second, and third place, no fewer than 5377 times, and has Avon no feAver than 1399 times, while in the year IS7B he Avon as many as 229 times. His score of winning mounts has, since 1873, been the highest reached by any jockey, and in five instances has been above 100 over that of his nearest competitor. No wonder that he has become the favourite jockey of his time, or that "Archer's mounts " have been backed so much as they have been. Fred Archer, avlio Avastes chiefly by the aid

of Turkish baths, which he prefers to exhausting Avalks, can now ride at a weight of eight stone five. His unsAverving honesty, strict attention to business, respectful demeanour, and neat exterior have made him a general favourite, and on the Turf he divides the highest popularity with Fordham. His style of riding, though not so graceful as that of former celebrities, is marvellously effective. He is completely devoted to Lord Falniouth— though he has given some of his friendship to Lord Rosebery — and to MattheAV Dawson, with whom he entered into partnership at the beginning of the present year. Among his most enthusiastic supporters he is knoAvn as " the Tinmnn"—Avhieh means that he always goes for "the tin." Jehu Junior.