BRITISH STABLES AND FOREIGN METHODS. 535 



Iroquois, 1881 ; Melton, 1885; Ormonde, 1886 four Oaks, six St. Legers, four 

 Two Thousands, and two One Thousands. Considering his weight, the number 

 of times he headed the list of winning jockeys was very remarkable, and he 

 eventually paid forfeit with his life for the continuous strain of wasting, a tragedy 

 which has been often used as an argument against the system of light-weight 

 racing. No jockey ever lost fewer races he might have won. If Fordham's honesty 

 suggests Francis Buckle, Archer's brilliancy always reminds me of Jem Robinson ; 

 and by strict attention to the details of his business, by sound judgment, and by 

 resolute riding, Fred won himself a place that is different to that of any other 

 horseman in the history of the Turf. He undoubtedly punished his horses very 

 severely when they "ran like a pig," in his own phrase, and when he felt at 

 liberty to do so. But he had the rare faculty of communicating his own courage 

 to the animal he rode to such an extent that many a moderate horse did wonders 

 under him after failing with everybody else. This he showed more particularly at 

 Epsom, where his amazing dash round Tattenham Corner won him many a race. 

 It was at this place, in the struggle on Bend Or just related, that Archer was 

 driven into the rails and rode for fifty yards with his left leg on his horse's neck. 

 Enthusiastic admirers used to say that leg occasionally got right over the rails. 

 It must be remembered, too, that Fred was riding Bend Or with one hand disabled 

 by the accident which had nearly killed him on May Day, 1880. He had just 

 been giving Muley Edris a gallop over Newmarket Heath, and dismounted, 

 with the reins over his arm, to adjust one of the " dolls " on the grass. Remem- 

 bering, perhaps, the thrashings he had received, Mitley grabbed Fred by the arm, 

 and, starting to carry him off, soon dropped him and knelt on him. Luckily the 

 brute's hind legs slipped at that critical moment, and he was frightened enough at 

 the unexpected fall to bolt and leave Archer free to count his injuries. He was 

 thought to have won so much money for himself and other people that the crowd 

 called him "The Tinman," and gaily followed every possible indication of his fancy. 

 But he confessed, a few weeks before his death, that he would have been much 

 happier if he had never betted a penny ; and his private fortune, though considerable, 

 was much exaggerated by unfounded rumour. 



In the autumn of 1886 Archer and Custance crossed over to Ireland, where he 

 had to ride Cambusmorc for Lord Londonderry at the Curragh. He got down to 

 8st. i2lb. for Mr. C. J. Blake's Isidore, on Thursday, after weighing gst. 4lb. on the 

 Tuesday, entirely by the aid of physic and Turkish baths. He won two races out 



