" THE HEAD OF THE LIST" 



varying sums which have placed them there. Going 

 back a little further than the period mentioned we find 

 the Duke of Portland with figures which have never 

 been approached and are never likely to be. In 1889 

 the array of huge stakes was altogether unprecedented, 

 and the Duke secured the lion's share, winning in all 

 ^73,858 1 os. And yet it would be protested by some 

 people that during the season he had some strokes of 

 very bad luck. There can be no doubt that Donovan 

 ought to have beaten Mr. Douglas Baird's Enthusiast 

 for the Two Thousand Guineas, and that without 

 trouble. The victory of the son of Sterling was a 

 triumph of jockeyship, explained to me by the superb 

 horseman who accomplished the feat, Tom Cannon. 

 He deprived the Duke of ^4000 — the prize was small 

 that season, it has since been over twice as much — 

 with which he should beyond question have been 

 credited. F. Barrett, a successful jockey who not 

 seldom held his own among the best, rode Donovan. 

 Watts, who it may be observed was one of Tom 

 Cannon's pupils, was on Pioneer, the property of that 

 extraordinary character " Mr. Abington." What was 

 thought of the prospects of the race appeared from 

 the betting, 85 to 20 on Donovan, 100 to 8 against 

 Pioneer, 25 to 1 bar two. " The other two had a 

 couple of little races all to themselves some distance 

 from home," so said Tom Cannon, with a twinkle in 

 his eye, in answer to my question how he had contrived 



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