144 The Life of Fred Archer 
ride for someone else in the same race, and he'd let me know in 
good time. That was about 8 a.m., and at lo, Soloman, his 
valet, came round to my lodgings to say Mr. Archer had sent 
him to say he'd ride Wasp Nest for us. And sure enough, to 
our great joy, he won easily, and at 4 to i, too. That proved the 
end of my trainer friend's misfortunes. 
" Sometimes I have known Archer to have a run of awfully 
bad luck himself. Once I knew him ride thirty-three losers 
right off the reel, and, as many followers of racing only backed 
his mounts, and that at an increased stake every time he lost, 
you can imagine what a dreadful time they had, I amongst the 
number. And when the spell was broken, it was a seven-to- 
four on chance that did it ; but few of his followers had been 
able to weather the gale. Those that were did not forget 
to cheer, you can vouch, 
" One good trait in Archer was that he was always out to 
win, and his followers knew that. Whatever the price in the 
ring, Archer was trying if the owner and trainer were not ; 
and I remember what a fury he wad in once at Newmarket on 
dismounting from one he at least fancied had been run for 
market purposes. I saw Archer ride some thousands of races, 
but two will always remain in my mind as the extremes of good 
and bad. The best was Dutch Oven in the Leger ; the worst 
was Galliard in the Derby. 
" I often wonder if Archer had been spared would he have 
adopted the crouch seat and where he would have put his long 
legs to do it. Personally, I don't like the crouch seat, and think 
it at the bottom of the jostling, bumping, crossing and unfair 
riding one sees on racecourses at the present time. Like most 
old men, I don't think the jockeys of the present day can be 
compared to Archer, Wood, Tom Cannon, Fordham, Custance, 
Goater and others of my youth, but acknowledge that, as far 
as owners and trainers are concerned, the present will compare 
favourably with the old days for honourable dealing and horses 
being run for their engagements." 
