404 



THE HORSE 



of the American seat, since the riders find they cannot hold 

 their horses to an absolutely straight course, unless they 

 can get alongside the rails as a guide. In former days 

 nobody cared about the rails unless they offered the shortest 

 way to the winning-post, which is the case on a circular 

 course ; but on a straight track Fordham, or Archer, or 

 Tom Cannon would never have dreamt of losing one or two 

 lengths in order to get the rails ; and at Epsom Fordham 

 never took them if he could help it, as he preferred the 

 middle of the course, deeming it to be better going in 

 wet weather. 



Formerly no jockey was considered in the very front 

 rank if he could not show an average of one win for every 

 three rides, when spread over a long period ; but no jockey 

 now approaches this ideal, and thus the poverty of the land 

 is shown. In other days several jockeys attained this 

 average, even when they had others of their own calibre to 

 compete against ; if one such jockey should now come to 

 the front he would have an easy task to maintain his 

 position ! During the thirteen consecutive years that Fred 

 Archer was champion jockey, 1874-1886, he showed the 

 remarkable average of almost '2f wins for races ridden, the 

 totals being winners 2609, and races 7428, and if an 

 admirer of any of the present jockeys cares to compare the 

 performances of his pet hero with the figures given below 

 he will arrive at the respective merits of the two jockeys, 

 if not of the different styles of riding : — 



