Veliefendi ready for Gazi Derby
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Hürriyet Daily News
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Haziran 27, 2009 00:00
ISTANBUL - Turkey’s most prestigious horse race, Gazi Derby, will be run for the 83rd time on Sunday at the Veliefendi Hippodrome in Istanbul. The race will be held at night for the first time.
Twenty-two Turkish thoroughbreds will be competing for the prize money of 750,000 Turkish Liras at 8:45 p.m. in the 2,400-meter race on grass, but the pride of owning a Gazi winner horse is invaluable.
The race, organized by the Turkish Jockey Club, or TJK, is dedicated to Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the modern Turkish Republic, who was a supporter of horseracing in the country.
"Horseracing is a social need for modern societies," Atatürk once said. While record-breaking breeders aim to keep their place, other stables have their eyes on the prize.
The Eliyeşil family, who holds the record for the most Gazi victories with 13, will try extending their record with Monte Negro.
Hayrullah Doğan, owner of 2007 Gazi Derby winner Inspector, will try to double his trophies with Doğanhan.
The race will also host a world-renown jockey. Italian Lanfranco "Frankie" Dettori, dubbed the best thoroughbred jockey of the world, will be riding Chi, which belongs to Doruk Yılmaz and is the winner of 2009 1,000 Guineas.
Dettori is no stranger to the Veliefendi Hippodrome, where he competed at International Boğaziçi and Topkapı races in 2008. He failed to win the races, but will seek revenge this year against Halis Karataş, a three-time Gazi winner and probably the best Turkish jockey. He beat Dettori in 2008.
Jockey Sadettin Boyraz was the winner in last year’s Gazi Derby, on Pan River, belonging to Nevzat Seyok. The fastest performance in Gazi Derby belongs to Bold Bilot, which won in 1996 in 2 minutes 26.22 under Karataş.
The race, organized by the Turkish Jockey Club, or TJK, is dedicated to Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the modern Turkish Republic, who was a supporter of horseracing in the country.
"Horseracing is a social need for modern societies," Atatürk once said. While record-breaking breeders aim to keep their place, other stables have their eyes on the prize.
The Eliyeşil family, who holds the record for the most Gazi victories with 13, will try extending their record with Monte Negro.
Hayrullah Doğan, owner of 2007 Gazi Derby winner Inspector, will try to double his trophies with Doğanhan.
The race will also host a world-renown jockey. Italian Lanfranco "Frankie" Dettori, dubbed the best thoroughbred jockey of the world, will be riding Chi, which belongs to Doruk Yılmaz and is the winner of 2009 1,000 Guineas.
Dettori is no stranger to the Veliefendi Hippodrome, where he competed at International Boğaziçi and Topkapı races in 2008. He failed to win the races, but will seek revenge this year against Halis Karataş, a three-time Gazi winner and probably the best Turkish jockey. He beat Dettori in 2008.
Jockey Sadettin Boyraz was the winner in last year’s Gazi Derby, on Pan River, belonging to Nevzat Seyok. The fastest performance in Gazi Derby belongs to Bold Bilot, which won in 1996 in 2 minutes 26.22 under Karataş.