156 The Life of Fred Archer 
horse, whom he regarded " as the best horse of his day, if not 
of any other," for £6,300. 
Soon afterwards Sir John met Archer, who promised to 
ride Peter in the Royal Hunt Cup, but a small happening 
changed the whole course of events. One morning when 
Peter was out at exercise, and had gone wonderfully well in a 
mile and a half gallop. Sir John dropped across Sherrard, who 
had the management of the horses at Bedford Lodge, and asked 
him to let Peter go round the Limekilns with Foxhall, who was 
then a three-year-old, and was being trained for the Grand 
Prix. 
Peter cut down the Yankee in easy style, and when the 
riders were weighed after the morning's work it was found that 
Foxhall had been in receipt of two stone and a half. 
Plans were changed, and it was decided to run Peter in 
the Manchester Cup, but the fates were working overtime against 
Sir John Astley. It is one of the unwritten laws of racing 
that an owner shall avail himself of the services of the stable 
jockey if he is a good rider, and Sir John told C. Wood he would 
have the mount on Peter in the Manchester Cup. 
A week before the race Sir John was at Kempton, and as 
Archer went out to ride in a race he handed Sir John a letter, 
saying : " This will interest you, Sir John. I will ride Peter if 
you wish." 
The letter was from Captain Machell, and it read : "If 
you will ride Valour in the Manchester Cup I will run him, if 
not I shall not send him to Manchester." 
When Archer returned he asked : " What answer shall I 
send the Captain ? " and Sir John told him that on no account 
would he take the stable jockey off his horse, that he could ride 
Valour, and sarcastically added : " What chance had Valour 
to beat Peter at 4 lb. ? " 
There is no doubt that Sir John did the proper thing in 
putting up Wood, but it cost him dearly, for Peter was beaten 
a neck by Valour, and the former's owner lost £12,000. Valour 
