The Life of Fred Archer 131 
" ' This sale is rather a painful subject for you, I'm 
afraid ? ' 
" ' Yes, you may be sure that I'm sorry to think I am parting 
from the WTieel of Fortune jacket. I have ridden for Lord 
Falmouth for eleven years, and there has never been a wrong 
word. I owe most of my success to having been able to ride 
his horses with such confidence, knowing that if I did make a 
mistake coming a bit too soon, or a bit too late, there would be 
no complaint, and his lordship would be sure I had ridden to 
the best of my ability. I'm certain that many races are 
thrown away through jockeys not having enough confidence 
in their masters and being afraid to tell them what really 
happened in a race.' 
" ' What do you think Busybody will fetch ? ' I inquired. 
' She must be about the pick of the basket in spite of the 
rest.' 
"'Mr. Dawson thinks she won't go under £8,000 or 
£10,000, and that Harvester ought to reach well over 
£5,000. He's improved very much. Harvester has — grown 
into a wonderfully nice colt. That's what Mr. Dawson puts 
them down at — ^£15,000 — guineas, I should say — for the 
pair.' " 
People were always asking Fred Archer which was the best 
animal he ever rode, and although towards the end of his life 
he would say St. Simon, he always introduced Wheel of For- 
tune into the conversation, and anyone could see she was the 
horse of his heart. Mathew Dawson, too, always had a sneak- 
ing affection for Catherine Hayes, his early love, though in 
St. Simon's day he gave a whole-hearted allegiance to that 
wonderful horse. 
The Sporting Times of November 26, 1886 says : 
" In the Morning Post of Monday last, ' Pavo ' states that, 
meeting Archer at the house of a nobleman on the night before 
the Oaks, he took the opportunity of asking him which was 
