Lot 970: Joshua Dighton 1831-1908- "Mathew Dawson with Fred

Joshua Dighton 1831-1908- "Mathew Dawson with Fred Archer in Lord Falmouth's colours"; watercolour and bodycolour, bears inscribed label verso 'Painted by Joshua Dighton, Horse and Jockey painter', bears label for the Newmarket Gallery, attached verso, 20x15cm. Note: Fred Archer was a natural horseman who understood tactics; Known as the best all-round jockey that the Turf has ever seen, winning 2748 races, including 21 Classics. He had been Champion Jockey 13 times when he took his own life at the age of 29. Fred Archer was born in Cheltenham, the son of William Archer (winner of the Grand National on Little Charlie in 1858). He was apprenticed to the trainer Mathew Dawson as an 11 year old boy. 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. Over half of Archer's Classic victories were for Falmouth, although it could be said that he might have won even more had he not been restricted to Lord Falmouth's horses. Provenance: Duke of Portland, Welbeck Abbey