THE CRACK ENGLISH TWO-YEAR-OLD.

Speaking of Donovan, the crack English two-year-old, the Sportsman says : -Donovan has retired into winter quarters with the honours of the year, having won eleven races, of the aggregate value of £16,487 15s -a feat absolutely unique in racing annals so far as money values go — and experiencing defeat in only two events. The bay son of Galopin commenced with the Brocklesby Stakes in the early spring, and soon afterwards Beoured the magnificent Portland Stakes of 6000 soys at Leicester, but met his first defeat at the hands of Chitabob, to whom he was conceding 131 b, in the Whitsuntide Plate at Manchester. Then from remarkably weak opposition the Duke of Portland's colt took the New Stakes at Ascot, Home-bred Foal and Hurstbourne Stakes ■over the Stockbridge Course, the July Stakes at Newmarket, and after winning the Ham. Stakes suffered his second defeat in the Prince of Wales' Stakes at Goodwood, where he ran only third to El Dorado, who seemed to like the fearfully heavy going that marked the Goodwood Meeting of 1888 with a very unusual character. Then the youngster resumed his series of victories by taking the Buckenham and the Hopeful Stakes at Newmarket on October 1, the Middle Park Plate, and finally the Dewhurst, which was over the longest, course he ran during the season. Competent critics esteemed Donovan on his last appearance from 101 b to 131 b better than before, which must certainly be a matter of great satisfaction to his noble owner, and also to those who remember how the colt has been kept so busy throughout the year. Still, his work was not nearly so severe as that accomplished by some other youngsters whose names are remembered as rare performers in their juvenile days. Eight of Donovan's races were *un over five furlongs, four over six, and only one over seven furlongs. Chitabob, who first lowered hiß colours, nnhappily was soon on the invalid list, and taken all round' the character of the opposition was by no means high class. However, unlike the Bard, whose unbeaten record in Bixteen races was largely composed of wins secured as much by admirable ' placings ' as by merit in the winner, Donovan went through the accustomed honoured round of first class events, and if opposition was not forthcoming it was openly challenged, and the winner of course •retires acknowledged Champion. Thormanby's name iB mentioned in connection with the •latter, but a review of the former's performances Bhows him to have been much more severely tried. Altogether the son of Melbourne or Windhound ran in fourteen races, of which he won nine and was beaten in five, meeting such as Thunderbolt and Wizard, incomparably better horses than the son Galopin encountered ; and four of the events were fought out over six furlongs and two over a mile. Thormanby's wininings in his nine victories amounted to only £8595. The Bard's unbeaten score of sixteen Beoured him £9188 9s, so that, perhaps, the honours were divided in this way— that Thormanby triumphed over great rivals, the Bard rejoiced in an absolute unbroken series of wins, .and Donovan made a record in the magnificent aggregate of the. prizes secured in his first racing reason.