Greville Starkey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Greville Starkey |
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| Occupation | Jockey |
| Born | 21 December 1939 |
| Died | 14 April 2010 (aged 70) Newmarket, Suffolk |
| Career wins | 1,989 |
| Major racing wins | |
| British Classic Races: 2000 Guineas Stakes (1981, 1986) Derby Stakes (1978) Oaks Stakes (1964, 1978) Other major races: British Champions Sprint Stakes (1982, 1986) Champion Stakes (1978) Cheveley Park Stakes (1978) Coronation Stakes (1963, 1964) Diamond Jubilee Stakes (1982) Eclipse Stakes (1975, 1982, 1986) Gold Cup (1966, 1978, 1988) Goodwood Cup (1970, 1976, 1988) Irish 1,000 Guineas (1973) Irish Derby (1978) Irish Oaks (1978) King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (1982) Lockinge Stakes (1979) Nassau Stakes (1977, 1981, 1989) Nunthorpe Stakes (1979) Poule d'Essai des Poulains (1981, 1987) Preis der Diana (1972) Preis von Europa (1986) Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (1975) Prix de la Forêt (1987) Prix du Moulin de Longchamp (1985) Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère (1980) Prix Jean Prat (1979) Prix Vermeille (1982) Queen Anne Stakes (1985) Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (1983) Sprint Cup (1982) St. James's Palace Stakes (1981) Sun Chariot Stakes (1977) Sussex Stakes (1985, 1987) Vertem Futurity Trophy (1983, 1985) Yorkshire Oaks (1964, 1978, 1986) |
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| Significant horses | |
| Ahonoora, All Along, Alphabatim, Bakharoff, Cloonagh, Dancing Brave, Devon Ditty, Fair Salinia, Homeward Bound, Kalaglow, Recitation, Rousillon, Sadeem, Shangamuzo, Shirley Heights, Soviet Star, Star Appeal, Swiss Maid, To-Agori-Mou, Untold | |
Greville Michael Wilson Starkey (born December 21, 1939 – died April 14, 2010) was a famous English jockey. A jockey is a person who rides horses in horse races. Greville Starkey had an amazing 33-year career, winning almost 2,000 races on flat tracks.
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Greville Starkey: A Champion Jockey
Greville Starkey was a very successful jockey. He rode 1,989 winners during his 33 years in horse racing. He was known for his skill and determination.
Major Wins and Achievements
One of Greville's most impressive years was 1978. He achieved a special "Classic double-double." This means he won two very important races, the Epsom Derby and the Irish Derby, both on a horse named Shirley Heights. He also won two other major races, the Epsom Oaks and the Irish Oaks, both on a horse named Fair Salinia. Winning these four big races in one year was a huge accomplishment!
He also won many other important races in the United Kingdom and other countries. Some of these include:
- The Ascot Gold Cup three times (in 1966, 1978, and 1988).
- The King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
- The Eclipse Stakes three times (in 1975, 1982, and 1986).
- The Champion Stakes.
- The Sussex Stakes twice (in 1985 and 1987).
Greville also won the 2,000 Guineas Stakes twice. He won it with To-Agori-Mou in 1981 and with the famous horse Dancing Brave in 1986.
Career Highlights
Greville Starkey was a very consistent jockey. He rode 100 or more winners in a single year four times (in 1978, 1982, 1983, and 1986). In each of these years, he finished fourth in the flat jockeys' championship table. His best year was 1978, when he rode 107 winners.
He started his career strong, becoming the champion apprentice jockey in 1957. An apprentice jockey is a young rider who is still learning. Greville Starkey retired from racing at the end of the 1989 season, leaving behind a fantastic record.
Later Life and Passing
Greville Starkey passed away on April 14, 2010, at the age of 70. He died from cancer at his home near Newmarket, a famous town for horse racing. He had two daughters, Helen and Anna, with his wife Christine. His sister, Mick Turner, also worked in the horse racing world at The British Racing School in Newmarket.
