388 APPENDIX. 



DONCASTER. 



(WINNER OF THE DERBY STAKES AT EPSOM, 



1873, <&Y.) 



DONCASTER by Stockwell was bred in 1870 by Sir Tatton Sykes at Sledmere, 

 Yorkshire, and is the third produce of his dam Marigold, who was bred in 1860 

 by Mr. Hargreaves. Like Blair Athol, Doncaster did not run when two years 

 old, his first appearance in the racing arena being at Newmarket in 1873, when 

 he was so backward in condition that he ran nowhere for the Two Thousand 

 won by Mr. W. S. Crawfurd's Gang Forward from Mr. Savile's Kaiser by a 

 head, with Mr. F. Gretton's Suleiman third, and nine others unplaced. At 

 Epsom, while still so backward that the ' talent ' declined to back him, and the 

 ring betted 45 to i against him, he won the Derby by a length and a half from 

 Gang Forward and Kaiser, who ran a dead heat for second, thus confirming 

 the running of the Two Thousand when a head only separated them. Gang 

 Forward was the favourite at 9 to 4, and 4 to i was Kaiser's price. Chandos 

 was placed fourth, and among the remaining eight which comprised the field 

 were Andred, Suleiman, Montergris, and Hockstapler. Doncaster's next ap- 

 pearance was for the Doncaster St. Leger, for which Mr. Merry also started 

 Marie Stuart and Merry Sunshine, with directions that ' the best should win ' 

 orders that resulted in Marie Stuart beating Doncaster by a head, Kaiser being 

 third, with five others unplaced. OR returning to Newmarket he was so mucli 

 out of form that Flageolet beat him for the Grand Duke Michael Stakes, and 

 Kaiser also defeated him for the Newmarket Derby. In 1874 Doncaster ran on 

 only two occasions viz. for the Ascot Gold Cup in which Boiard beat him and 

 Flageolet by three quarters of a length, the two latter running a dead heat for 

 second, with Kaiser next ; and for the Goodwood Cup, which he won by a neck 

 from Kaiser. In the following year Doncaster again ran twice, winning the 

 Gold Cup at Ascot from Aventuriere, Nougat, and two others ; and also the 

 Alexandra Plate, for which he was only opposed by Scamp and some other 

 horses of only very moderate calibre. At the close of the year Mr. Merry sold 

 Doncaster to his trainer, Robert Peck, for 12,000 guineas, and soon after the 

 Duke of Westminster purchased him for 14,000 guineas, and he became lord of 

 the harem at Eaton, where he gives promise of acquiring as great fame as did 

 PotSos in days of yore, and Touchstone in our own time. The most distin- 

 guished of his progeny are Band Or (winner of the Derby) out of Rouge Rose 

 by Thormanby Ellen Hona by Red Shank, Country Dance, Dreamland, 

 Muncaster, Myra, Thora, Town Moor, Farewell, winner of One Thousand in 

 1885, &c. 



