Five-time German champion Andrasch Starke was born on 4 January, 1974. His first ride came as a 15-year-old amateur aboard Waldeck on 10 March, 1989 - the horse finished 10th.
Starke’s first triumph came three months later on 18 June at Grossenkneten when he partnered Si Signeur to victory.
Starke’s career continued to progress and he rode his first Group race winner when Irish Stew landed the Berlin Brandenburg Trophy at Hoppergarten on 12 July, 1992. In 1995, the jockey experienced big-race success outside of his homeland when partnering Sternkoenig to wins in the Premio Federico Tessio and the Premio Roma Vecchia in Italy.
The following season, Night Petticoat, trained by Bruno Schutz, provided Classic success in the Preis Der Diana, a race he would also win aboard Elle Danzig (1998), Flamingo Road (1999), Next Gina (2003) and Rosenreihe (2008).
A first Group One success followed in 1997 when Starke, allied to the powerful Schutz stable, which had been taken over by Bruno’s son Andreas, steered Oxalagu to win the Grosser Dallmayr-Preis. Further top-flight victories soon followed with Caitano taking the Aral-Pokal and the Grand Premio e Coppa d’Oro, while Devil River Peek captured the Premio Vittorio di Capua. That 1997 season yielded 117 wins.
Schutz provided Starke with his first German Derby victory in 1998 thanks to Robertico. He has since added four more triumphs in the Classic aboard Samum (2000), Next Desert (2002), Schiaparelli (2006) and Kamsin (2007). The latter two victories came for trainer Peter Schiergen, who has been the rider’s main patron for the past few seasons.
Starke has raced seasonally in Hong Kong as well as at the Dubai International Racing Carnival. The rider has twice won the Cathay Pacific International Jockeys’ Championship at Happy Valley, Hong Kong. In 2004, Starke enjoyed a high-profile international triumph when Epalo landed the Singapore Airlines International Cup.
The jockey has also benefited from his association with the globe-trotting Schiergen-trained Quijano, who has provided the rider with success in the last two renewals of the Gran Premio di Milano, as well as the 2007 running of the Group One Grosser Preis von Baden.
2009: Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup debut
Quick Guide to the annual Shergar Cup
