AND TIMES OF JOHN OSBORNE 369 



marvellous resolution, which he had the mysterious 

 power of communicating to the horses he rode. This 

 was 1 shown in his efforts, over and over again, on 

 moderate animals which failed in the hands of inferior 

 jockeys, and which were successful when under his 

 pilotage. During his career Archer rode no fewer than 

 2447 winners. 



Never was there a more popular man or a more 

 painstaking jockey. Hardly was he ever known to 

 throw a chance away; and though his seat was not 

 perfect, he was matchless for courage and resolution, 

 and particularly over the Epsom course did these 

 attributes bring him into prominence. Epsom was 

 often the scene of his most brilliant efforts, his dash- 

 round Tattenham Corner, which tries the nerve of the 

 strongest jockey, frequently winning him many a race. 

 One of his best finishes in the Derby was when he rode 

 Bend Or, and beat Robert the Devil, in 1880. In 

 attempting to take his place at Tattenham Corner on 

 Bend Or Archer was driven into the rails, and for fifty 

 yards had to ride with his left leg on the horse's neck. 

 "I would not have given five shillings for my chance 

 then," he was heard to observe afterwards, and at the 

 " Bell " it seemed poundage on Robert the Devil 

 winning easily; but we can well remember the tre- 

 mendous resolution with which Archer rode the Duke 

 of Westminster's bronze chestnut to win on the post 

 by a short head. 



No doubt his death was largely due to the light- 

 weight racing system, and it would have been far better, 

 writes Mr. John Corlett, had the Bill introduced into 

 the House of Lords by the late Lord Redesdale in 1860 

 been carried. The lowest weight carried by a racehorse 

 should be 6 st. 7 Ibs., and were this the case our best 

 2p, 



