Archer (horse)
Archer (1856–1872) was an Australian Thoroughbred racehorse who won the first and the second Melbourne Cups in 1861 and 1862. He won both Cups easily, and is one of only five horses to win the Melbourne Cup twice or more and is one of only four horses to win successive Cups. In 2017 Archer was inducted to the Australian Racing Hall of Fame. Breeding Archer was sired by the successful imported sire William Tell (GB) (1843, by Touchstone); his dam, Maid of the Oaks (dam of Mariner and William Tell (1855)) was by Vagabond (GB) (by Cain). Archer's sire and dam had been owned by Thomas Molyneux "Tom" Royds (1824–1852) of Ballalaba, (described as being near Jembaicumbene, which was then a major settlement), New South Wales. Royds formed a breeding partnership with his uncle-in-law Andrew Badgery (c.1804–1857), keeping their many horses on the Andrew Badgery managed Exeter Farm in Jembaicumbene. For £51, Royds purchased the mare Maid Of The Oaks at the dispersal of Charles Smith's Clifton Stud in 1845. Royds also imported the stallion Sailor By The Sea, and in February 1847 the stallion William Tell. Archer's full-sister, Our Nell, won three races in four days at the Goulburn races (1855) and other races at city tracks. Early life Archer was probably foaled in 1856 at Exeter Farm in Jembaicumbene, near Braidwood in New South Wales. In recent years evidence has been discovered that Archer may not have been foaled on the Exeter Farm owned by Roberts but on Royds' previous cattle farm Ballalaba, owned by Hassall. This is supported by Richard William Royds' (1922–?) (one of William Edward Royd's grandsons) writing in 1983 that Archer was foaled at Ballalaba; this view is supported by his widow and adopted son. All other references state that Archer was foaled at Exeter Farm, including Richard's older brother John Patrick Molyneux Royds (1920–?) in an interview published in 1969. It is also on Exeter Farm that other horses from the breeding partnership of Hassall and Roberts were foaled, including Archer's half-brother Mariner in 1854 (by Sailor By The Sea out of Maid Of The Oaks) and his full-brother William Tell in 1855 (by William Tell (GB) out of Maid Of The Oaks. Royds died at age 27 in an accident in early 1852. Two years later, his widow Elizabeth Jane "Betsy" Royds (née Roberts) (1824–1875) married Rowland H. Hassall (1820–1904) of Durham Hall in Jembaicumben who, under the laws of the time, obtained all of Betsy's possessions at their marriage. Even though Royds' will gave him no right to do so, Hassall began selling off the Royds horses at Exeter Farm. Betsy persuaded Hassell to keep the imported stallion William Tell and six broodmares (one of which was Maid Of The Oaks). Her brother Thomas John "Tom" Roberts (1831–1899) had inherited Exeter Farm, and as executor of Royds' estate was trying to protect the interests of his nephews; he would care for the horses. As part of the agreement, the progeny (including