Bred and owned by Sheikh Mohammed and trained in England by David Loder he showed promising form as a two-year-old in 1996, winning on his debut and finishing third and fourth against better opposition in his other two races.
In the following year he finished fourth in the 2000 Guineas before recording Group One victories in the Prix Jean Prat and the St James's Palace Stakes, beating a particularly strong field in the latter race.
On his final appearance of the year he contested the Group Three Horris Hill Stakes at Newbury in October and finished fourth, just over a length behind the winner Desert Story.
Ridden for the first time by Frankie Dettori, he led from the start and was driven out to win by one and a half lengths from Mamalik with Kirkwall a short head away in third.
[10] Two weeks later the colt was brought back in distance for the 152nd running of the St James's Palace Stakes over one mile at Royal Ascot, and was again partnered by Dettori.
[12] On 30 July, Starborough was matched against older horses for the first time when he was ridden by Pat Eddery (Dettori was suspended)[13] in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood Racecourse and started the 9/4 favourite.
In the winter of 1997/8, Starborough was transferred to the ownership of Sheikh Mohammed's Godolphin Racing organisation and removed from Loder's stable to be trained by Saeed bin Suroor.
On his first appearance of 1998 he was sent to Hong Kong for the Queen Elizabeth II Cup over ten furlongs at Sha Tin Racecourse on 19 April and finished sixth, two lengths behind the locally trained winner Oriental Express.
[14] Starborough was then dropped in class to contest the Celebration Mile over the same course and distance a month later but after leading in the early stages he finished seventh behind the John Gosden-trained Muhtathir.