ii6 iRiMuG IRccoUections an^ Zxxvt Stones 



his old form, and rode as well as ever ; that is 

 well known in turf history. 



Another story about Fordham is worth repeating. 



He was, for Mr. Leopold Rothschild, riding 

 ' Brag ' against ' Reputation ' at Newmarket, in a 

 match for ^200 a side, on the T.Y.C., at the Second 

 Spring Meeting of 1883. Archer was piloting 

 * Reputation,' and as he was going out of the Bird- 

 cage a friend said to him : 



" Fred, mind the old demon don't do you again " — 

 he had just beaten him two or three times that 

 week. 



Fred's reply was : "I will be half-way home this 

 time before the old gentleman knows where he is." 



' Reputation ' was a very quick horse off the mark. 

 I overheard this observation, and jumped on to my 

 hack at once, knowing that George was walking on 

 foot to the post. I caught him up, and told him what 

 I had heard Archer say. He simply smiled, and 

 said, "All right, Cus." I never saw anyone get 

 into such a muddle as poor Fred did on that occa- 

 sion. He was giving a stone away on a horse with 

 a very fine turn of speed, and he had only one 

 chance, to wait and come with one run at the 

 winning-post. However, through Fordham "kid- 

 ding " him that he had the best of the start. Archer 



