Person

1857 - 1886

Fred Archer was a legend in his lifetime, and has been ever since. Intelligent and ambitious, he was a natural horseman who understood tactics too. He was simply the best all-round jockey that the Turf has ever seen. Fred Archer was born in Cheltenham on 11th January 1857, the son of steeplechase jockey William Archer (winner of the Grand National on Little Charlie in 1858). At age 11 he was apprenticed to the trainer Mathew Dawson at Heath House Stables, Newmarket and rode his first winner the following year in a steeplechase at Bangor at the incredibly light weight of 4st. 11lbs. His first success on the flat came on 28th September 1870 at Chesterfield but his career really took off in 1873 when he had 107 wins from 422 mounts. He was Champion Jockey every year from 1874 until his death in 1886 at the age of 29. In total he achieved 2748 winners from 8004 rides. His achievements include 21 Classic victories:- Derby 5 wins, St Leger 6 wins, Oaks 4 wins, 20000 Guineas 4 wins and 1000 Guineas 2 wins. His first important win was in the 1872 Cesarewitch, and his first Classic in the 1874 2000 Guineas, after which he became Lord Falmouth's retained jockey. Lord Falmouth was Dawson's principle owner and the Archer/Dawson/Falmouth combination became amazingly successful. Archer lived at Mat Dawson's stables, Heath House, until he married Dawson's niece Helen Rose in 1884. He then built Falmouth House (now demolished). Tragedy came into his life with the loss of his infant child and his wife, both in 1884. Fred Archer tragically died in Newmarket on 8th November 1886 at the age of 29.