'THE AMERICAN YEAR; 1881 157 



at a sliort prico for tlic St. Lcger. Ono of the factors 

 in the comparatively short figure at which tlie horse 

 ■was ultimately backed for the Derby Avas comprised 

 in the circumstance that Archer would be his rider, 

 and as showing the importance attached to having 

 such a horseman on his back, the mere rumour one 

 day, that Archer was ' not to ride,' led to the horse's 

 declining in the market to the extent of two points. 

 Rightly or wrongly, the services of the jockey in 

 question were thought of such importance that the 

 rumour of his having 'the mount' on ^r\y particular 

 animal proved at once highly favourable to its market 

 status. 



Iroquois won the great St. Leger Stakes by the 

 distance of a length from the horse which was second, 

 Geologist. Previous to the day of the race, from the 

 time of the York Meeting, in fact, what may be called 

 a ' dead set ' was made against the horse in the 

 market. One or two bookmakers, as the saying goes, 

 'never left him,' but continued their deadl}' fusillade 

 almost to the hour of the race. jSiO person could 

 understand why Iroquois should be the victim of such 

 formidable opposition. Some there were who insinu- 

 ated that when the horse appeared at the post it would 

 be seen that he was not half trained for so severe a race ; 

 this was said, too, in the face of a report made by 

 Archer, who had ridden him a fine gallop on the Satur- 

 day before he left for Doncaster, on the Town Moor 

 of which the race is run. That report being to the 

 eflect that his jockey was perfectly satisfied with the 

 horse and the condition in which he found him. 

 Pincus, his trainer, did not make much of ' a show ' of 



