Andrasch Starke earned his second International Jockeys’ Championship at
Happy Valley Race Course in Hong Kong on Wednesday. Winner of the same event in
2000, the 31-year-old Starke claimed a top prize of HK$200,000. The jockeys
competition serves as a prelude to Sunday’s Hong Kong International races at Sha
Tin Race Course.
The German jockey defeated 11 star-studded rivals in the three-race event, winning
once and registering a second and third with his other two mounts. Hong Kong
riders Douglas Whyte and Howard Cheng tied for second. Shane Dye finished
fourth. Christophe Soumillon came next in the standings and was followed by Mick Kinane, Edgar Prado, Glen Boss, Kieren Fallon, Olivier Peslier, Yutaka
Take and Weichong Marwing.
“To win this once is a big feeling, but twice is amazing,” Starke said. “But
you need some luck and I had a clear run in all the races. I did think I was in
with a shout (for the championship) as all three of my horses had chances.”
Starke will ride German highweight EPALO (Ger) (Lando [Ger]) in the Hong Kong
Cup (HK-G1). Post positions for Sunday’s four Group 1 races will be drawn
Thursday morning.