CHAPTER XI 
In 1877, Archer drew further ahead of his compeers, and scored 
218 victories out of 596 rides, which was so far his best average. 
This unprecedented score included his maiden Derby and 
St. Leger, both on Lord Falmouth's Silvio, in addition to 
which he rode the winners of the City and Suburban, Clearwell, 
Prendergast, Criterion, and Ascot Gold Vase. In the City and 
Suburban he scored for Mr. Gee on Julius Caesar, 
Mrs. Pratt said that it was a proud day for her mother 
when she saw her young son of twenty win the Derby. A 
correspondent wrote to "Diogenes," of the Cheltenham Examiner: 
" In Silvio's year I stood by the refreshment stand while 
the Derby was being run, and I noticed a middle-aged couple 
watching the race close by me. After it was won by Silvio, 
ridden by Fred Archer, there were the couple — man and wife — 
waiting to congratulate their son, the winning jockey, as he 
rode back to the paddock receiving the ovation of the crowd. 
Mrs. Archer was naturally excited. She clapped her hands and 
shed tears of joy, for she had been for years the careful guardian 
of the lad. She sobbed audibly as Freddy, with the flush of 
victory on his face, waved his recognition of her happiness. 
When he came out of the weighing-room and ' all right ' 
was called out, she folded him in her arms and kissed him 
fondly. Archer pere was not demonstrative at all. Like old 
Weller, he kept his feelings under control, and only chuckled. 
Presently, however, he spoke. ' I knew our boy would do it,' he 
said, and he went into the refreshment booth to celebrate his 
knowledge." 
U5 
