The Life Of Fred Archer By E . M . Humphris. A biography of England's
most famous jockey. Preface - "The author has flatteringly asked me to
write a preface to this book on the famous Fred Archer, and as I knew
him well and saw him ride a vast number of his races it gives me great
pleasure to do so and I commence by speaking of the five Derbys he won,
all of which I witnessed. Archer had his first Derby success on Silvio,
who started at 100 to 9, in 1877, and, after a pretty finish, won by
half a length from Glen Arthur, both the pair outstaying the favourite,
Rob Roy, who was beaten three-quarters of a length for second place,
with Rhidorroch fourth, a head behind Mr Mackenzie's colt .His next win
at Epson was in 1880, when he rode a most remarkable race on Bend Or, as
he was greatly handicapped by having has his arm badly injured through
Muley Edris savaging him after he had ridden that ill tempered brute in
a gallop on Newmarket Heath a short time before, and also by Bend Or
coming badly down the hill to Tattenham Corner owing to having sore
shins. Archer, for all that, rode with such judgement that, bringing his
mount with one long run, he caught Robert the Devil, on whom Rossiter
certainly should have won as the race was run, in the last two strides,
to beat him by a head. " Originally published in 1934. Many of the
earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before,
are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. Obscure Press are
republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern
editions, using the original text and artwork.
