Donovan (horse)
Encyclopedia
Donovan was a British Thoroughbred
racehorse and sire. In a career that lasted from 1947 to 1948 he ran twenty-one times and won eighteen races. He was the leading British two-year-old of 1888 when he won eleven of hifs thirteen starts. At three Donovan won the Epsom Derby
and the St Leger
: he failed to win the English Triple Crown owing to a narrow and probably unlucky defeat in the 2000 Guineas. He set a world record by earning a total of £55,443 in win prize money. Donovan was a modest success as a stallion. He died after being injured in an accident in 1905.
a Conservative
politician and landowner. Among the Duke’s other horses were the undefeated St. Simon
and the 1888 Derby winner Ayrshire
. He was sent into training with George Dawson at his Heath House Stable in Newmarket, Suffolk.
Donovan’s sire Galopin
was an outstanding racehorse who won the Derby in 1872 and went on to be a successful and influential stallion, being Champion sire on three occasions. Mowerina, Donovan’s dam, won sixteen races and produced several winners including the 1000 Guineas winner Semolina and the colt Raeburn, the only horse ever to defeat Isinglass
.
, winning by three lengths from a field of twenty-four opponents for a prize of £6,000, making the race more valuable than the Derby. In the £5,000 Whitsuntide Plate at Manchester Racecourse, Donovan was set to carry 136 pounds
and suffered his first defeat when four lengths second to the well-fancied Chitabob.
In the summer of 1888 Donovan was sent to Royal Ascot where he won the New Stakes from weak opposition. He then won the Home-bred Foal Stakes at Stockbridge and the Hurstbourne Stakes at the same venue on 28 June, winning easily by two lengths. On 3 July at Newmarket he won the July Stakes
by half a length from Gold, the only other runner,. At Goodwood
later in the month he took the Ham Stakes, but then finished third to El Dorado and Gold in the "Prince of Wales’s Stakes" on "fearfully heavy going."
At Newmarket in autumn, Donovan proved himself the year's best two-year-old with four more wins. He won the Buckenham Stakes and the Hopeful Stakes, before running in the season's most prestigious two-year-old race, the Middle Park Plate
on October 10. Carrying top weight of 129 pounds he started 11/8 favourite in a field of fourteen and won in a race record time of 1:15.2, beating Gulliver by two lengths. The unplaced horses included the colt Enthusiast and the filly Minthe, who went on to win the 2000 Guineas and the 1000 Guineas respectively. Up to this point, all his races had been over five or six furlongs but on his final start of the year he moved up to seven furlongs for the first time and added the Dewhurst Stakes
, giving ten pounds to Enthusiast and winning "in a canter".
He ended the season as the "acknowledged Champion" having won eleven of his thirteen starts against the best available opposition and earning a record £16,487. He was compared in the press to previous outstanding two-year-olds such as Thormanby and The Bard. It was also pointed out that in winning both the major two-year-old races at Newmarket, he had emulated the achievement of Ormonde and Kisber
, both of whom went on to win the Derby. Donovan went into the winter as 3/1 favourite for the Epsom race, despite concerns about a perceived lack of stamina in his pedigree.
on April 6. He started at odds of 8/13 and took the lead two furlongs out to win "in the commonest of canters" by two lengths from Pioneer with Minthe four lengths further back in third. The Duke of Portland donated £1,000 of his winnings to the local hospital. The Prince of Wales himself was in attendance, despite a reported assassination threat.
In the 2000 Guineas on May 1 Donovan started 20/85 favourite in a field of nine. Ridden by Fred Barrett, he raced prominently and took the lead soon after half way and turned back a challenge from Pioneer, but was overtaken by Enthusiast who raced down the centre of the course. Donovan ran on again and almost caught Enthusiast but failed by a head after a "magnificent race'" with Pioneer third. It was suggested that Barrett had regarded Pioneer as his only danger and had ignored the challenge of Enthusiast until it was too late for an effective response. Despite his defeat he remained a strong favourite for the Derby, being offered at odds of 2/1.
In the Newmarket Stakes
over ten furlongs on 22 May Donovan "very easily" defeated his stable companion The Turcophone, with Laureate third and Enthusiast fourth, leading to his price for the Derby shortening to 4/5.
Donovan was then sent to Royal Ascot for the Prince of Wales's Stakes
over thirteen furlongs in which he started at odds of 2/9 despite carrying top weight of 131 pounds. He took the lead in the straight and won easily by one and a half lengths from Royal Star with Enthusiast third.
. He started 8/13 in a field of thirteen with his main rival expected to be the Yorkshire-trained Chitabob the colt who had defeated Donovan in June 1888, and who had recently returned after training problems. Ridden by Barrett, Donovan was always prominent and moved into the lead early in the straight. Chitabob emerged as a challenger, but quickly dropped back, leaving Donovan to win by three lengths with Miguel, as at Epsom, finishing second.
Having proved himself over an extended fourteen furlongs at Doncaster, Donovan was brought back to seven furlongs ten days later for the £12,000 Lancashire Plate at Manchester Racecourse. On this occasion, his main danger was expected to come from the outstanding two-year-old Alicante who had won the Prix de la Salamandre
and the Prix de la Forêt
, although the field also included the Classic-winning fillies Minthe and Seabreeze as well as Chitabob and Enthusiast. Chitabob attempted to make all the running, but Barrett was always prominent on Donovan before taking the lead inside the final furlong and winning by two lengths. The win took the lifetime earnings of "Duke Donovan" as he was being called, to £54,694, and those of his owner to almost £100,000 for the season. On his final start of the year he returned to Newmarket in October and won the Royal Stakes from Minthe, the only horse to oppose him.
Donovan was kept in training at four with the Ascot Gold Cup
as his target, but he broke down in training and was retired in June without running another race.
Having earned £16,487 as a two-year-old, Donovan added a further £38,666 in 1889, to give a career total of £55,553, by far the largest up to that time.
before moving to the Worksop Manor Stud. Although he sired some good horses he failed to live up to expectations and his fee eventually dropped to 25 guineas. His best offspring was the colt Velasquez who ran second to Galtee More
in the Derby and won the Eclipse Stakes
. Donovan was euthanized at Worksop Manor on February 1905 after sustaining serious injuries when he collided with a tree in his paddock. He was buried at the Duke of Portland’s Welbeck Abbey Stud.
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
racehorse and sire. In a career that lasted from 1947 to 1948 he ran twenty-one times and won eighteen races. He was the leading British two-year-old of 1888 when he won eleven of hifs thirteen starts. At three Donovan won the Epsom Derby
Epsom Derby
The Derby Stakes, popularly known as The Derby, internationally as the Epsom Derby, and under its present sponsor as the Investec Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies...
and the St Leger
St. Leger Stakes
The St. Leger Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Doncaster over a distance of 1 mile, 6 furlongs and 132 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in September.Established in 1776, the St. Leger...
: he failed to win the English Triple Crown owing to a narrow and probably unlucky defeat in the 2000 Guineas. He set a world record by earning a total of £55,443 in win prize money. Donovan was a modest success as a stallion. He died after being injured in an accident in 1905.
Background
Donovan was a dark-coated bay bred by his owner William Cavendish-Bentinck, 6th Duke of PortlandWilliam Cavendish-Bentinck, 6th Duke of Portland
William John Arthur Charles James Cavendish-Bentinck, 6th Duke of Portland KG, GCVO, PC, TD, DL , known as William Cavendish-Bentinck until 1879, was a British landowner, courtier and Conservative politician...
a Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
politician and landowner. Among the Duke’s other horses were the undefeated St. Simon
St. Simon (horse)
St. Simon was an undefeated British Thoroughbred racehorse and one of the most successful sires in the history of the Thoroughbred. In May 1886 The Sporting Times carried out a poll of one hundred experts to create a ranking of the best British racehorses of the 19th Century. St...
and the 1888 Derby winner Ayrshire
Ayrshire (horse)
Ayrshire was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a career that lasted from 1883 to 1885 he ran sixteen times and won eleven races. After winning five races as a two-year-old he became the leading British three-year-old colt of 1884 when he won the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket and the Derby...
. He was sent into training with George Dawson at his Heath House Stable in Newmarket, Suffolk.
Donovan’s sire Galopin
Galopin
Galopin was a good British Thoroughbred racehorse and a prominent sire.-Pedigree:Galopin's sire, Vedette, had a very good racing career, winning the Great Yorkshire Stakes, the Doncaster Cup , and the 1857 2,000 Guineas Stakes. Vedette's value as a stallion had declined to such an extent that he...
was an outstanding racehorse who won the Derby in 1872 and went on to be a successful and influential stallion, being Champion sire on three occasions. Mowerina, Donovan’s dam, won sixteen races and produced several winners including the 1000 Guineas winner Semolina and the colt Raeburn, the only horse ever to defeat Isinglass
Isinglass (horse)
Isinglass was a British Thoroughbred racehorse who dominated during his time in racing and won the English Triple Crown.-Racing record:...
.
1888: two-year-old season
Donovan appeared in the first week of the flat season to win the Brocklesby Stakes at Lincoln Racecourse "a bit cleverly" by two lengths from the filly Poem. He then took the Portland Stakes at LeicesterLeicester Racecourse
Leicester Racecourse is a horse-racing course in Oadby, Leicestershire, England.The course is oval shaped and nearly 2 miles in extent. It was opened ante 1773....
, winning by three lengths from a field of twenty-four opponents for a prize of £6,000, making the race more valuable than the Derby. In the £5,000 Whitsuntide Plate at Manchester Racecourse, Donovan was set to carry 136 pounds
Pound (mass)
The pound or pound-mass is a unit of mass used in the Imperial, United States customary and other systems of measurement...
and suffered his first defeat when four lengths second to the well-fancied Chitabob.
In the summer of 1888 Donovan was sent to Royal Ascot where he won the New Stakes from weak opposition. He then won the Home-bred Foal Stakes at Stockbridge and the Hurstbourne Stakes at the same venue on 28 June, winning easily by two lengths. On 3 July at Newmarket he won the July Stakes
July Stakes
The July Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts and geldings. It is run on the July Course at Newmarket over a distance of 6 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in July....
by half a length from Gold, the only other runner,. At Goodwood
Goodwood Racecourse
Goodwood Racecourse is a horse-racing track five miles north of Chichester, West Sussex, in England controlled by the family of the Duke of Richmond, whose seat is nearby Goodwood House...
later in the month he took the Ham Stakes, but then finished third to El Dorado and Gold in the "Prince of Wales’s Stakes" on "fearfully heavy going."
At Newmarket in autumn, Donovan proved himself the year's best two-year-old with four more wins. He won the Buckenham Stakes and the Hopeful Stakes, before running in the season's most prestigious two-year-old race, the Middle Park Plate
Middle Park Stakes
The Middle Park Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 6 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late September or early October.The event was established...
on October 10. Carrying top weight of 129 pounds he started 11/8 favourite in a field of fourteen and won in a race record time of 1:15.2, beating Gulliver by two lengths. The unplaced horses included the colt Enthusiast and the filly Minthe, who went on to win the 2000 Guineas and the 1000 Guineas respectively. Up to this point, all his races had been over five or six furlongs but on his final start of the year he moved up to seven furlongs for the first time and added the Dewhurst Stakes
Dewhurst Stakes
The Dewhurst Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 7 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in October.The event was established in 1875, and it...
, giving ten pounds to Enthusiast and winning "in a canter".
He ended the season as the "acknowledged Champion" having won eleven of his thirteen starts against the best available opposition and earning a record £16,487. He was compared in the press to previous outstanding two-year-olds such as Thormanby and The Bard. It was also pointed out that in winning both the major two-year-old races at Newmarket, he had emulated the achievement of Ormonde and Kisber
Kisbér
Kisbér is a town in Hungary, in Komárom-Esztergom county. The town was first mentioned in 1277.-Royal Stud:Kisber was home to the Imperial-Royal Stud where a Thoroughbred racehorse named for the town was bred under the supervision of Stud's manager, Count Zoest. Foaled in 1873, Kisber raced in...
, both of whom went on to win the Derby. Donovan went into the winter as 3/1 favourite for the Epsom race, despite concerns about a perceived lack of stamina in his pedigree.
Spring
On his three-year-old debut, Donovan won a "monster" prize of £12,000 in the "Prince of Wales's Stakes" at LeicesterLeicester Racecourse
Leicester Racecourse is a horse-racing course in Oadby, Leicestershire, England.The course is oval shaped and nearly 2 miles in extent. It was opened ante 1773....
on April 6. He started at odds of 8/13 and took the lead two furlongs out to win "in the commonest of canters" by two lengths from Pioneer with Minthe four lengths further back in third. The Duke of Portland donated £1,000 of his winnings to the local hospital. The Prince of Wales himself was in attendance, despite a reported assassination threat.
In the 2000 Guineas on May 1 Donovan started 20/85 favourite in a field of nine. Ridden by Fred Barrett, he raced prominently and took the lead soon after half way and turned back a challenge from Pioneer, but was overtaken by Enthusiast who raced down the centre of the course. Donovan ran on again and almost caught Enthusiast but failed by a head after a "magnificent race'" with Pioneer third. It was suggested that Barrett had regarded Pioneer as his only danger and had ignored the challenge of Enthusiast until it was too late for an effective response. Despite his defeat he remained a strong favourite for the Derby, being offered at odds of 2/1.
In the Newmarket Stakes
Newmarket Stakes
The Newmarket Stakes is a Listed flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and geldings. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late April or early May.At present, the event...
over ten furlongs on 22 May Donovan "very easily" defeated his stable companion The Turcophone, with Laureate third and Enthusiast fourth, leading to his price for the Derby shortening to 4/5.
Summer
At Epsom on June 5, Donovan (who arrived at the course with a security entourage of detectives and police constables) started 8/11 against twelve opponents, including The Turcophone who was running as a pacemaker. The race took place in "glorious weather" in front of a very large crowd which included the Prince and Princess of Wales. As in his previous races in 1889, Donovan was taken directly to the start to be saddled instead of appearing in the paddock and parading with the other runners: the Duke explained that this was because of the colt's nervous or "fidgetty" temperament. After a short delay caused by false starts, the race got under way with The Turcophone setting a strong pace, while Tommy Loates settled Donovan in fourth place. Loates sent the favourite into the lead early in the straight as the pacemaker dropped away, and it became clear that only Miguel was his only real challenger. Donovan, however, was never in danger of defeat and won easily by one and a half lengths from Miguel, with El Dorado six lengths back in third. The "lucky" Duke's memorable summer continued when he was married to Winifred Dallas-Yorke six days later.Donovan was then sent to Royal Ascot for the Prince of Wales's Stakes
Prince of Wales's Stakes
The Prince of Wales's Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in June....
over thirteen furlongs in which he started at odds of 2/9 despite carrying top weight of 131 pounds. He took the lead in the straight and won easily by one and a half lengths from Royal Star with Enthusiast third.
Autumn
Donovan returned on September 11 for the St Leger at DoncasterDoncaster Racecourse
Doncaster Racecourse is a racecourse in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England. It hosts two of Great Britain's 31 Group 1 flat races, the St Leger Stakes and the Racing Post Trophy.- History :...
. He started 8/13 in a field of thirteen with his main rival expected to be the Yorkshire-trained Chitabob the colt who had defeated Donovan in June 1888, and who had recently returned after training problems. Ridden by Barrett, Donovan was always prominent and moved into the lead early in the straight. Chitabob emerged as a challenger, but quickly dropped back, leaving Donovan to win by three lengths with Miguel, as at Epsom, finishing second.
Having proved himself over an extended fourteen furlongs at Doncaster, Donovan was brought back to seven furlongs ten days later for the £12,000 Lancashire Plate at Manchester Racecourse. On this occasion, his main danger was expected to come from the outstanding two-year-old Alicante who had won the Prix de la Salamandre
Prix de la Salamandre
The Prix de la Salamandre was a Group 1 flat horse race in France which was open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It was run at Longchamp over a distance of 1,400 metres , and it was scheduled to take place each year in September.-History:The event was established in 1872, and it was...
and the Prix de la Forêt
Prix de la Forêt
The Prix de la Forêt is a Group 1 flat horse race in France which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 1,400 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late September or early October.-History:The race was established in 1858,...
, although the field also included the Classic-winning fillies Minthe and Seabreeze as well as Chitabob and Enthusiast. Chitabob attempted to make all the running, but Barrett was always prominent on Donovan before taking the lead inside the final furlong and winning by two lengths. The win took the lifetime earnings of "Duke Donovan" as he was being called, to £54,694, and those of his owner to almost £100,000 for the season. On his final start of the year he returned to Newmarket in October and won the Royal Stakes from Minthe, the only horse to oppose him.
Donovan was kept in training at four with the Ascot Gold Cup
Ascot Gold Cup
The Gold Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 2 miles and 4 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in June....
as his target, but he broke down in training and was retired in June without running another race.
Assessment and earnings
Donovan was considered by some to be a fortunate horse who had emerged in a generation with few other top class performers, but by the end of the three-year-old season he was acknowledged by others as "a really great racehorse."Having earned £16,487 as a two-year-old, Donovan added a further £38,666 in 1889, to give a career total of £55,553, by far the largest up to that time.
Stud career
Donovan retired to the Rufford Abbey stud where he stood at a fee of 200 guineasGuinea (British coin)
The guinea is a coin that was minted in the Kingdom of England and later in the Kingdom of Great Britain and the United Kingdom between 1663 and 1813...
before moving to the Worksop Manor Stud. Although he sired some good horses he failed to live up to expectations and his fee eventually dropped to 25 guineas. His best offspring was the colt Velasquez who ran second to Galtee More
Galtee More
Galtee More was an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a career that lasted from 1896 to 1897 he ran thirteen times and won eleven races. As a three-year-old in 1897 he became the seventh horse to win the English Triple Crown by winning the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket,...
in the Derby and won the Eclipse Stakes
Eclipse Stakes
The Eclipse Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Sandown Park over a distance of 1 mile, 2 furlongs and 7 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in early July.-History:The event is named after Eclipse, a...
. Donovan was euthanized at Worksop Manor on February 1905 after sustaining serious injuries when he collided with a tree in his paddock. He was buried at the Duke of Portland’s Welbeck Abbey Stud.