[2] 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.

(one of William Edward Royd's grandsons) writing in 1983 that Archer was foaled at Ballalaba;[4] this view is supported by his widow and adopted son.

[5] All other references state that Archer was foaled at Exeter Farm, including Richard's older brother John Patrick Molyneux Royds (1920–?)

Her brother Thomas John "Tom" Roberts (1831–1899) had inherited Exeter Farm, and as executor of Royds' estate[6][7] was trying to protect the interests of his nephews; he would care for the horses.

When the boys sued their stepfather in the 1870s their interests were finally recognised, and the breeding partnership was renamed Hassell, Roberts and Royds.

Newspaper archives of the day state that Archer travelled south from Sydney to Port Melbourne on the steamboat the City of Sydney with two of his trainer Etienne de Mestre's other horses Exeter and Inheritor, leaving on 18 September 1861 and arriving at Port Melbourne on 21 September.

Prior to the Melbourne trip, the horses had arrived in Sydney by steamer from Greenwell Point (near Nowra) on 9 September.

The longest distance that Archer would have walked or been ridden was 155 miles (249 km) from the end of the railway line in Campbelltown to Jembaicumbene when he retired from racing in 1864.

Johnny Cutts was (according to legend) born in the area around Nowra, and one of many Aboriginal men who replaced white stockmen who walked off the land to join the gold rush.

In truth Johnny Cutts rode for many trainers in his long career as a jockey, was not from the Nowra area, and was never based there.

Cutts' brother-in-law Walter Bradbury, however, lived at Terara (since he worked for de Mestre) and helped to train Archer.

John Cutts Dillon was the son of a Sydney clerk and one of the best-known, best-liked and most-respected jockeys in New South Wales.

In 1860 Archer was bought and trained by business associate and school friend of Tom Roberts Etienne de Mestre (1832–1916), from Terara near Nowra, New South Wales.

Nicknamed "The Bull" by locals,[9] Archer was considered large for a three-year-old; he stood 16.3 hands with powerful hindquarters, a deep girth, well-sprung ribs and a good head and neck.

The winning bets on Archer took money from Melbourne, "refuelling interstate rivalry" and adding to the excitement of the Cup.

Six weeks later (on 13 November 1862) Archer won his second Melbourne Cup carrying 10 st 2 lb – 142 pounds (64 kg) – at 2–1 odds in a time of 3:47.0.

Nominations for the 1863 Melbourne Cup had to be lodged with the Victorian Turf Club by Wednesday, 29 April, accompanied by five gold sovereigns.

Acceptance, with an additional five-sovereign payment, had to be lodged with the VTC by 8pm Wednesday, 1 July; de Mestre (still in Sydney) had overlooked the deadline.

Wednesday, 1 July was a public holiday in Melbourne, and the telegram was not delivered to the George Kirk & Co. offices until 7:30 pm.

Brought to Sydney to prepare for the September Metropolitan Cup at Randwick Racecourse, Archer was seriously injured a month before the race during a veterinary treatment on 10 August 1864.

At the conclusion of the Randwick meeting, Archer was retired and returned to his owners Hassell and Roberts on Exeter Farm at Jembaicumbene, near where he had been foaled.

Victorian craftswoman Therese Haynes was so enamoured of Archer that late in his life, she made a horseshoe ornament from his tail hair.

She coiled the hair to create a horseshoe-shaped plaque, placed it in a silver setting and mounted it on red satin.