Evening star., 1886-11-09
The Most Famous Jockey.

English turf, whose death by suicide was re-
ported in q cable dispatch In yesterdays STAR,
was born January IL, S56 William Archer
his father, rode and won the Liverpool Grand
National steeplechase with Little Charley, At
147 pounds. In 1888. By the time Fred was 10
years old he showed that he WAS cut out lor u
Jockey, and In due time he was Hpprenticed 10
Matthew Dawson, al Heath house, Newmark eL
On September %, 1870, he was nrst given =
mount In race which began such a brilliant
career: and his first great win was with SaIvanos
tor the CeSare witch, In 1872. At "a pounds
Archer's success has been some what Q 4 traor-
dinary not only ia the classic e. en- U.s. but i'm All
sorts OF contests. both al short and long dis
tances. Or the great three-year-Od races he has
give a complete list even of the mpor laDi rsoes
won by the jockey. For twelve years past he
has averaged about 800 mounts a year, aud hss
won In not less than 2, 700 races, his name
standing AT the head OF the list OF winning
jockeys every year. As the result OF his ex-
ploits ne accumulated a fortune estimated nj
S5OO,O Mr. Pierre Lorillard gave him %, 600
when he won the Derby Oh lroquois In Jam
uary, 1883, Archer was married 10 the eldest
daughter Of Mr.. John Dawson, the famous New
market trainer. Early I'm November. 1854, his
wife died, after giving birth 10 y daughter. I'm.
mediately after bis bereavement he came 10
this country on a visit, and was received with
great distinction in sporting circles. He was
noted for his answering honesty. The English
newspapers All publish articles deploring his
The New York Herald says: It may be truly
said that Fred Archer was the idol OF the British
his level best 10 win. He was invariably first
at the starting post, and was rarely guilty Of .
his horses head OF he kept it loose, and as soon
As the dag dropped started his horse along with
q touch OF the spur Many OF his best races
were won at the start He was wonderfully
quick at seeing an opening. and very courage
Gus in driving mis- horse right AT IL. II was be-
cause the British public knew that ne rode TO
win that his mounts were often backed with
but little reference TO the horse he was riding.
Mr.. /. Gray Griswold, the master OF the Rock.
sacns Am rss %
OF remarkable size Tor a Jockey. His natural
weight was, should think, about one hundred
and forty-fve pounds. But he WAS one Of the
hardest trained men ever seen. He rode re-
peatedly as low as eight stone ten. To get
himself down 70 this OF course required great
market house he had a Turkish bath put up in
il and used II every day. He was OF little build
and had long muscles, upon which he relied log
Being asked what he considered was tie Pc
cuiiar advantage that Archer possessed over
his competitors, he replied: " think probably
his wonderful starting, although, as every one
knows, he WAS widely celebrated ior his grand
finishes. He possessed the secret OF getting OF
well AT the start and Of keeping a horses hind
legs under him. He was very fond Of short
races, say i've furlongs. In all sorts Of dashes
dition to his remarkable ability as a rider he
was an exceptionally nne judge OF = horse.
The moment he put his leg over one he could
made q great deal Of money in backing his own
mounts. This man J. Hammond, who has
made great success out OF horse racing and 10
now the owner of many valuable horsea, com
menced As Arcners commissioners. II would
be impossible 70 make any comparison besweea
Archer and any Of our American jockeys, the
circumstances surrounding them being 20 en-
tirely different II is just possible that on
American courses Mclaughlin might have
beaten him on the turns, rs he ID % familiar
with them all. regret" said Mr. Griswold, in
conclusion, 'thaa this great rider should have
met with such an untimely end, for he was "a
exceptional man, and he ts . great ioss 70 The
turf"