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nerve by the way he hugged the rails as he thundered down inclines 

 and rounded dangerous turns. In getting through a crowd of horses 

 his determination combined with coolness was conspicuous in the 

 extreme. In finishing he was an artist of the first water, and whether 

 to win was easy or difficult, he never either lost his head or gave away 

 a chance ; while a mount on the favourite or an outsider made no 

 difference whatever in his riding. 



His proficiency and courage caused him to be sought for by owners 

 and trainers whenever he was disengaged ; hence he had always the 

 best mounts to choose from. This of course gave him a great advan- 

 tage, and no doubt helped to swell his record. There was, however, 

 another and still more powerful agency at work in his favour. 



During a portion of Archer's career there existed a deal of mal- 

 practice on the Turf, and at one time a regular " Ring " was formed 

 among some of the jockeys to decide beforehand which horse was to 

 win the races they rode in. To carry out this nefarious arrangement, 

 ■of course the best horse had frequently to be pulled. 



Whether Archer was a party to this proceeding I know not, but at 

 all events he was not had up, and, as he rode to ivin, the others had 

 only to back his mount and bst against their own. By means of this 

 desperate piece of villainy some of these jockeys amassed large fortunes, 

 and so notorious became the scandal, that the Jockey Club investigated 

 the matter and "warned off" those they found guilty. 



From these facts I am led to believe that many of Archer's wins are 

 to be attributed more to the rascality of others than to his own ability 

 as a horseman, great undoubtedly as that was. 



For a jockey he was remarkably tall, standing 5 feet 8h inches, and 

 although very slight, necessarily it took a considerable amount of flesh 

 to cover that length of bone. For the light weights he could ride at 

 ^rst, but not of lats years, and it was with difficulty he kept condition 

 down sufficiently to ride 8st. 9lb. No monk to fulfil his obligations 

 •ever mortified his body by fasting with greater rigour than did Archer 

 to fulfil his engagements on the Turf. His self - denial was simply 

 marvellous. For weeks in the racing season he would go in a state of 

 semi-starvation ; a hard crust of dry bread twice a day with a cup of 

 "black" tea or glass of soda and whisky being ofttimes his allowance. 

 He did not take long walks as they made him hungry, and would there- 

 fore increase his misery, so he dosed himself with physic instead. 



By these means, together with the exercise he had daily in the saddle, 

 he was able to get down so as to ride at 8st. 9lb. Long continuance of 

 a practice so baneful to health no doubt predisposed the poor fellow to 

 the malady which in the end suddenly overtook him, under the influence 

 of which his death was caused. 



During his apprenticeship, which ended in 1874, his master generously 

 allowed him to retain the emoluments derived from his mounts, and 

 having succeeded Tom French at his death in 1873 as Lord Falmouth's 

 first jockey, they were very considerable. In fact, with fortune smiling 



