Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-24
ENGLISH JOCKEYS
AND AMERICAN
British Trainer Visiting Wash
ington Talks of Fred
Archer.
How He Won a Long Race, a
$780, 900 Stake, With
a Splinter.

VOO,OVO OloNVs WIFI
a Splinter.
By G. q. Pettus.
When Richard Dawson, the celebrated
English trainer. was here last week will
Manager Fred Presgrove of the Clyde sta
BILE the formers engagement of Jockey Lu
Glen Lyme to ride abroad this season wa.
discussed. The comparative merit o.
American and English jockeys in year.
gone by. as well as at the present time, wa.
also considered.
Naturally, Trainer Dawson believes FREQ
Archer to have been the worlds greatest
rider, and related some interesting incidents
of his career from the time he made his
first race on Tomahawk, at seventy sever
pounds, up to his long years of meteorie
triumphs and brilliant successes.
Tall of stature and longlegged, Archer
rode with his knees as much as his hands
while his headwork was a conspicuous fea-
ture of his career. When he married the
daughter of Matthew Dawson, the cele-
brated trainer. Archer was at the zenith OF
his fame and the wealthiest jockey In
England.
About this time Sir John Ashley engaged
ArCner TO F1Qe MS morse refer III the pow
600 Manchester cup. Peter was by Hermit
and very fast horse, very erratic, but
Archer could get more out Of him than any
one else. AS soon as it was known that
Archer had been engaged Peter became IA
Torite for the race at Tattersall'S and other
centers Of future betting.
This was nearly a month before the race,
and as Peters price shortened Sir John
Ashley called on Archer and frankly stated
to him that he (Sir john could not get his
money on Peter and asked Archer to re-
linquish the mount in favor of some other
jockey not so popular-that he would put
him (Archer one thousand pounds
$4,000 to nothing
OF course Archer obliged Sir John as re-
quested, and the latter engaged George
Fordham. the famous jockey with the
"whiskers." But while outwardly Archer
seemed to take the matter easily, inwardly
he did not. And, calling on his friend and
employer. Capt. Machell, the great jockey
told that turfman that he was going to
make an effort to secure another mount in
the race. and beat Peter if possible.
Archer and Machel1.
Capt Machell was staying at Newmarket
and the two were alone in the captain s
private quarters. Leaning back in his chair
the latter said to Archer:
Yes, / don't wonder you feel that way
about it. And John had no business to
make such request of you. But where is
there horse in the race capable of beating
Peter. that way weighted and at that dis
tance-a mile and three-quarters?
Archer leaned over toward his friend with
the question, What have you got in the
race captain?'
Picking up an envelope from the table
near him Machell answered, Well de-
clared three out last week and here is the
last one that 1 am just mailing to declare
out also 1t is my six-year-old horse
Valour by Philammon''
Reaching over for the envelope Archer as
tonished the captain by tearing it into a
dozen pieces Apologizing as he did so
with, Don't declare Valour captain. I'll
ride him and win the race
Laughing heartily Machell said, why
Fred Valour Is miller. And this is a mile
and three-quarters. 1 have the utmost re-
spect for your judgment, don't you know,
but bless my bones my horse will want to
lay down before the finish. Valour can beat
Peter at mile, but this longer distance
looks insurmountable."
1t was now Archer's turn to smile.
Look here captain. the last time I rode
Valour for you the Irish horse had lot
left in him. And that was a mile. We
longer gallops into him. I'm going to bet
on him and advise you to do the same
Picking up the telephone Capt. Machell
called up Tattersalls and asked Valour' S
price for the Manchester cup. And on being
told that 1t was 66 to 1, invested two hun
dred pounds $1,000 at that rate of odds.
Then he and Archer parted for the night.
Valour Heavily Backed.
The next day Valour was given a mile
and a quarter trial with Archer up and so
well did the Irish horse acquit himself that
Captain Machell placed some more money
on him at the long odds. And as commits
sioner for Archer did the same thing the
odds were lowered to 40 to 1, and in some
places lower.
Meanwhile it had not yet cropped out that
Archer was going to ride Valour. And the
general public did not attach much import
ance to the money going on the horse at
Tattersalrs, Manchester and other places
in the united kingdom.
Matters ran along until the week of the
race, with Valour progressing we'll in his
preparation And three days before the big
event Archer gave him such sousing trial
at a mile and a half that Captain MachelI
at last acknowledged that he now thought
wagered up to that time had been purely a
matter of sentiment concerning his horse,
and going it blind because Of Archer.
The night of the final trial the Machell-
at 33 to 1 against Valour. And the next day
20 to 1 was the best obtainable for money.
In spite of the stable money that had gone
on the horse very little from any other
source had developed, and the bookmakers
still kept the price up.
The next day came the first intimation to
the pubic as TO VINO would be Nalour S
pilot in the Manchester Cup. -Vigilant in
the London Sportsman said in his remarks:
ARCHER and Valour look like a winning
combnaton-on paper. The jockey pos
sesses superlative skill, the horse superla-
tive specials far as he goes! Can the
great jockey nurse the Irish horse success
fully for mile and three-quarters? And
what bitter bill for Sir John Ashley to
swallow in that event"
Captain Machell and Fred Archer read
over in the latter's rooms this barometer of
public opinion on the situation and exchang-
ed many a laugh and jest at Sir John
Astley's expense. They had both met
Peters owner that day and while he had
joked with them over their 'forlorn hope"
as he put it, the baronet seemed decidedly
worried over the outlook.
Eve of the Great Race.
The day before the race Captain Machell
put down another big bet on his horse, or
rather ION Archer" as he qualified it. And
then for the first time asked the great
jockey chow he was going to ride the race
The answer he received surprised him.
Turning to his friend Archer said:
well. captain, dear, l have another sur
prise for you You are already guessing
how long / intend to wait with your horse,