Book description
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.
