Veliefendi dishes out Turkish delights
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Whizbang (Sadettin Boyraz) holding Charabanc (Vedat Abis) off by a neck to win the Group 3 Topkapi Trophy (1,600m) at Veliefendi racecourse in Istanbul on Sept 6.
PHOTO: JOCKEY CLUB OF TURKEY
Michael Lee
Istanbul’s International Racing Festival weekend was yet another resounding success at the Veliefendi racecourse on Sept 5 and 6.
While the Jockey Club of Turkey’s two-day event has had an International label since its launch in 2008, the 2026 renewal was mostly a domestic affair.
The 18 races highlighted by six Group events were no less competitive, with one overseas runner still taking the spotlight.
Purebred Arabian Molfit ($12) even made it a France 1-2 with Allie Saint Lon finishing in that order in the UAE President Cup-sponsored Group 3 Malazgirt Trophy (1,600m) on Day 1.
The Pau and Francois Rohaut-trained Molfit was also a second consecutive strike for the all-conquering Wathnan Racing who won with RB Mary Lylah in 2025.
There was no further foreign presence in the other five Group races, but the quality of the local winners was no less impressive.
On Day 1, Truely ($28), a mare by Japanese champion Victoire Pisa, kicked things off in the Group 3 Istanbul Trophy (1,600m) before Poetry In Motion ($9) denied defending champion Captain Fantastic by a ½-length in the Group 2 France Galop Anatolia Trophy (2,000m), the only Group race on the all-weather.
The next day, the carnival’s richest race, the 13.13 million Turkish lira (S$343,000) Group 3 Topkapi Trophy (1,600m) delivered an exciting finish with three-year-colt Whizbang ($51) beating Charabanc by a neck.
Galioglu ($76) won Turkey’s most famous race, the Group 3 Bosphorus Cup (2,400m). Favourite and hat-trick chaser Borrego failed to stretch his 2024 and 2025 wins, running sixth.
The last feature, the Group 2 Tay Deneme (1,400m) for 2YOs was won by Guvenika ($29).