view raw text
HOW HEADW0RK WON A GREAT RACE. Fred Archers Sk;ll as Exemplified in Valours Victory in the Valuable Manchester Cup. There has a i ways been much argument as to who was the greatest jockev in the world. Nearly every tUrfman, old and new. has his idea, but the con sennas of opinion appears to be that Fred Archer, the englishman, should be given the honor. Many Stories arc told of the great rider, bill his win of the Manchester Cup. valued al 150,000, was perhaps the greatest race be ever rode, bringing iii a horse that few thought hud a chance to win. Tall of stature and long legged, Archer rode with his knees as njactl as with liis hands. His bead Work was a conspicuous feature of his Career. When he married the daughter of Matthew Dawson, the celebrated trainer. Archer was at the zenith of his fame and the wealthiest jockcv in England. About this time. Sir John Astley engaged Archer to rule his horse. Peter, in the 0,000 Manchester cup. Peter was by Hermit and an exceedingly fast horse. Verj erratic. Inn Archer could get more out of him than anyone else. As soon as it was known that Archer had been engaged, Peter became favorite for the race at Tatersalls and other centers of Inline betting. This was nearly ■ month before the race, and as Peters price shortened. Sir John Astley called 011 Archer and frankly stated lo him that lie Astley conld not get his 111 y 011 Peter, and asked Archer to relinquiah the mount in favor of some other jockey not so popular that he would put him I Archer 1 on ,000 to nothing. Archer obliged Sir John as roi|uestcd. and the latter engaged George Fordbam, the famous jockey with the •whiskers. While outwardly Archer seemed lo take the matter easily, inwardly lie di I not. Calling on his friend and employer. Captain MacheU, the great jockey told the turfman that he was going to make an effort to secure another mount in the race and beat Peter if possible. Captain Maehell was stopping at Newmarket and the two were alone in the captains Marten. Leaning back in his chair, the latter said to Archer: "Yes. I dont wonder you feel that way about it. and Sir John had no business to make such a re-qwest of you. Rut where is there a horse in the race capable of beating Peter, that way weighted and at that distance a mile and three quarters?" Aider leaned towards his friend with tlie qaes-I ion : "What have you got in he race, captain.-" Picking up an envelope from the table near him. MacheU answered: Well. I declared three out last week and here is the last one I am mailing to declare out also, li is my six-year old horse Valour." Reaching for the envelope Archer astonished the captain by tearing it into a dozen pieces, apologizing as he did so with: "Dont declare Valour, captain. Ill ride him and win the race." Laughing heartily. MacheU said: "Why. Fred. Valour is a miler. And this is a mile and three? qnarten. I nave tin- inmost respect for your Judgment, don I yon know, but bless my bones, my imrse will want to lay down before the finish. Valour can heat Peter at a mile, but this longer distance looks insurmountable." It was now Archers turn to smile. "Look here. Captain, the last time I rode Valour for you. the Irish horse had a lot left in him. And that was a mile. We have nearly three Weeks yet to shove some longer gallops into him. Fin going to iKt on hbh and advise you to do the same." Captain Maehell Immediately made inquiry at Tatters alls as to the price on Valour. On being told that it was M to 1 lie invested O0. Then he and Archer parted for the night. The next day Valour was given a mile and a quarter trial with Archer up and so well did the horse acquit himself thai Captain Maehell placed s more money on him at the long odds. And as a commissioner for Archer did the same thing the odds were lowered to 40 to 1 and in some places lower. Meanwhile it bad not cropped out that Archer was to ride Valour. And the public did not attach much importance lo the money going on the horse at fa t tens II s. Manchester and other places in the United Kingdom. Matters ran along to the week of the race, witli Valour progressing well in his preparation. Three days liefore tlie race Archer gave Vabmr such a rousing trial at a mile and a half that Captain MacheU acknowledged that he now thought Valour would win. All the money he had 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 rial the Macbell-Archer party got down some niore»wagers at 33 to 1 agauist, Valour. The next day 20 to 1 was the best obtainable. In spite of the stable money that had gone on the horse little from any other source bad developed. Then next day came the first intimation that Archer was to ride Valour in the Manchester Cup. Viligant, in the London Sportsman, said in his remarks: "Archer and Valour look like a winning combination on paper. The jockey possesses superlative skill, the horse superlative sliced — as far as he goes. Can the great jockey nurse the Irish horse successfully for a mile and three-quarters V And What a hitler pill for Sir John Astley to swallow in that event." Captain Maehell and Archer read over in the filters room this barometer of public opinion on the situation, and exchanged many a laugh and jest at the expense of Sir John Astley. They both had met Peters owner that day. and while he had joked With them over their "forlorn hope," as he pot it. tin; baronet seemed decidedly worried over tlie outlook. The day before the race Captain MacheU put down another big bel 011 his horse, or rather "on Archer," is he qualified it. And then for the first time asked the great jockey "how he was going to ride the race. The answer he received surprised him. ••Well. Captain, dear. I have another surprise for you." replied Archer. "Von already are guessing bow long I intend to wait with your horse and at what stage of the race I will make tin run for the lead. Am I right?" On receiving a gesture of assent the jockey went on: "Yea, Captain. I intend to wait with Valour, but not exactly in the way you think, for I will wail in front. I will make all the running with your horse and die in the lead, if die I must." To say that MacheU was thunderstruck is putting it mildly. The noted turfman, whose career for yean was virtually a history of the British turf, threw up IhiIIi hands, came over to Archer anil pinched his arm. Then lie pinched his own arm, merely observing: "I have been indulging in a good deal of dreaming ever since this race came up. ami I want lo nee if this is a new dream." Rut il was no dream, for there stood the champion Jockey, straight as a arrow, his i n t o 1 1 igen t-looking face speaking though .and confidence in every lineament of his countenance. And MacheU said: "Its you, all right. Fred and me. too. Well. Ive p everything about this race blind. and I might as well go tliis, too, about making the running for a long race with a sprinter. So. lied, old man. you for il." And the two shook hands. Meanwhile Valours good appearance at the training headquarters and Archers prestige aroused a ureal deal of public interest al Ifancnester, and a large portion of the vast crowd that turned out the day the cup was run selected the MacheU colors as their standard. When business opened 011 the race there was a strong public amy 011 Valour, notwithstanding thousands for Peter and other horses in the race. At the appointed hour starter I. Met; ge took the big field of twenty-six bones in hand, and the parade past the 1IHMKMI spectators was the usual interesting prelude to tlie great struggle so soon to take place. Archer and Valour and Fordha m and Peter came in for the greatest attention. While the horses were filing past the "bird cage" there was one man who never took his glasses from Archer and Valour. It was Sir John Astley. It seemed as if be had a presentiment of ju furtive. Within a few minutes a flash of color showed thai starter MoCoorge had sent the fje]d awav across the far side of tie track. Then the Maehell colors flashed out in front and the cry went up: "Archer is making the running." The Manchester coarse of thai day was peculiarly shaped. The part the cup was run over was like :tn SOMano, almost mere turns than stretel.es. the longest straight work in the race lieing less than 300 yards in the Baal run to the finish. Here was Archers only chance to win a long race With a sprinter like Valour — to race his mount around the turns and give him a breath on the short stretches, then atari off again 011 the next turn "and let the others get winded chasing aim round and round. So well had Archer studied the course, the capabilities of Vabmr. which was inarvelously speedy around turns, and the fact thai Peters heal races had been where straight work predominated, that his plan worked like clockwork. Rusling his big brown horse along to he lead. Archer opened up a couple of lengths of daylight, that roandlag the first turn became half a deaeo, so aMSCji faster did Valour •"skin the rails" than bis followers. On the next straight Archer eased his horse until the second division was a 1 mos 1 tread i 11 ir on his heels. Th"n away again around the nrxl turn like a shot Archer let Valour go, opening up snetlif r gap as ben re. A mile had been covered, and as Valour seemed as fresh as when he started, according to Captain Mai hells glasses, that sportsman, who was near Sir John Astley in the "bird cage." was in great spiri.s. saying to several of his friends who bad also accepted the long odds on Valour: • Woiid-rf ul general, that Archer. Look at the way be is riding my horse--out there, helter-skelter. Mikity split, in a fashion that would have earned a stable jockcv his discharge. Rut Archer. His seemingly erratic and aimless ridiirj: is the result of long study of these conditions and probably will land us each a fortune 011 this day." As the field was rounding the next to the last turn before they hit the straight run in, Peter began to move up. but while he gained on the second division. Valour went so much faster around the half circle that then was all of ten lengths between "" pair. The next bit of straight work, the last before the final, saw Peter shut up half the gap between him and Valour. Ami the cry went up that Valour bad quit. Rut the way that horse opened up a larger streak of daylight on Peter rounding the last turn showed that idea to be a delusion. Now came the crucial moment. Only about 300 Straight yards to the chair where the venerable Judge Clark had for years placed the winners and decided millions. And Valour, as they straightened out. was six lengths to the good, with Peter closing f.rst under Fordhams hand and heel riding. So well did Fetor answer Fordhams call that it looked all day with Valour, on which Archer was sitiing still as if his mount was completely done. And Captain Maehell and his friends groaned in spirit at victory being so near and yet so far. Fifty yards from the judges chair Peter got to Valours girth and Ford tut ID relaxed his efforts on Sir Johns crack. This was lordhams mistake and Archers opportunity. The latter had a last bottled-up link 011 Irs horse, waiting to use il in the final strides, ami for the first time in the race he sat down and rode Valour for all he was worth. And it was well that he did so. for under whip and spur Peter was com lug again, ami as the pair Hashed past the Judges chair Valour had only just stalled off Peter by a short head. II was Indeed the irony of fate to Sir John Astley. who bad asked the Jockey to step down that would have won him the great race and heavy wagers, while it was an an looked for golden shower to Cap-lain Maehell, slopped from scratching a horse that was destined to win bin 1910.sh00,000. Archers father-in-law and the jockeys friends won nearly as much more.
