PREFACE 
The author has flatteringly asked me to write a Preface 
to this book on the famous Fred Archer, and as I knew him 
well and saw him ride a vast number of his races, it gives me 
great pleasure to do so ; and I will commence by speaking of 
the five Derbys he won, all of which I witnessed. 
Archer had his first Derby success on Silvio, who started 
at 100 to 9, in 1877, and, after a pretty finish, won by half a 
length from Glen Arthur, both the pair outstaying the favourite, 
Rob Roy, who was beaten three-quarters of a length for 
second place, with Rhidorroch fourth, a head behind Mr. 
Mackenzie's colt. His next win at Epsom was in 1880, when 
he rode a most remarkable race on Bend Or, as he was greatly 
handicapped by having had his arm badly injured through 
Muley Edris savaging him after he had ridden that ill-tempered 
brute in a gallop on Newmarket Heath a short time before, 
and also by Bend Or coming badly down the hill to Tattenham 
Comer, owing to having sore shins. Archer, for all that, rode 
with such judgment that, bringing his mount with one long 
run, he caught Robert the Devil, on whom Rossiter certainly 
should have won as the race was run, in the last two strides, 
to beat him by a head. 
The following season Archer had little difftculty in steering 
Mr. Lorillard's American colt Iroquois to victory, as owing 
to the Two Thousand Guineas winner. Peregrine, with his 
heavy-loaded shoulders, coming badly down the hill, the 
half-length by which Iroquois reversed their Newmarket 
running was easily gained. 
