The Life of Fred Archer 171 
by a friend in America to Lieut. -Col. E. D. Miller, C.B.E., 
D.S.O. 
There is no doubt that Archer's keen desire to win at all 
costs made him a bit of a bully on the racecourse, and some of 
the jockeys were rather afraid of him and his tongue, for he 
could, and did, swear during a race. There was one man, 
however, who was not afraid of him, and that was George 
Fordham. He was a wonderful jockey, and Archer could not 
give him any start. 
Archer and Fordham had many tussles, and the former did 
not always get the best of it. Once, it is said, he had the bad 
taste to hector Fordham at the post in a race for the Royal 
Hunt Cup. 
" You have taken a liberty with me, Mister Archer," Ford- 
ham said, " and I will teach you to act differently, I may not 
do it now. I shall probably wait until you are on something 
that you fancy yourself about. You must not take a liberty 
with George." 
The right moment came. Archer was on the crack mount 
Silvio. Fordham was riding in the same race, and he made 
the running. Archer came up on Silvio and called out, " Pull 
on one side!" but Fordham did nothing of the kind. He 
thought he saw some better going in the middle of the course, 
and he went for it. 
There was no room for any objection, but by these tactics 
he most effectively prevented Archer from winning. " I do 
not think Archer will ever take a liberty with George again," 
quietly remarked Fordham, as he dismounted. 
On another occasion Fordham was riding Brag at New- 
market for Mr. Leopold de Rothschild, against Reputation, 
with Archer in the saddle. As Archer was going out of the 
Birdcage a friend said to him, " Fred, mind the ' Old Demon ' 
don't do it again ! " He had beaten Archer three times that 
week already. Archer replied : "I will be half-way home 
before the Old Gentleman knows where he is ! " Reputation 
