The Life of Fred Archer ii 
Fred told me his fear of Melton cost him the race, but more 
likely it was because he had only eaten three bits of dry toast 
and had two half -pint bottles of champagne to drink for 
twenty-four hours before this race, and was extremely anxious 
owing to having backed his mount to win a very large sum of 
money, as during the season he had been losing a great deal at 
betting, some £30,000 or more ; and if St. Mirin had got home 
he would have been a winner on the year. 
Archer's riding of Galliard in the Derby of 1883 caused 
much discussion, and some people, especially the more sus- 
picious, were inclined to favour the idea that he had not done 
his best to win on the colt. There was no doubt that his 
brother, Charles Archer, who trained Highland Chief for Lord 
Ellesmere and only died in 1922, had backed that son of 
Hampton to win a huge sum, which gave colour to the stories 
that Fred Archer pulled Galliard ; but although apparently 
unlucky, he was an animal of uncertain temperament, and I 
do not really think there was much wrong ; whilst Epsom is 
such a peculiar and fluky course that any horse may show 
different form over it from what it does elsewhere. I believe 
Lord Falmouth, who was furious at the time and most 
suspicious of Archer's honesty, was afterwards quite satisfied 
with the explanation given. 
Fred was almost crazy about this time to ride the winner 
of virtually every big race (and by the way, only the Cam- 
bridgeshire and Gold Cup at Ascot, for which latter race he 
was second on four occasions, ever escaped him), so in 18S1, 
thinking Peter was sure to win if he rode him, he wanted to 
ride the horse for the Manchester Cup ; but his owner. Sir 
John Astley, would not take Charlie Wood off the horse. 
Consequently Archer rode Captain Machell's Valour, and by his 
marvellous riding on him upset by a neck Sir John's great 
plunge on Peter. 
Upon this last-named uncertain horse Archer accomplished 
a great feat only a few days later at Ascot when winning the 
