Istanbul Horse Racing Goes International This Weekend

Plenty of Turkish Group action on Sept 6 and 7, including Bosphorus Cup, QEII Cup

- Michael Lee

The yearly Istanbul Racing Festival is back on Sept 6 and 7, and will feature among the highlights in a busy weekend for Singapore Pools.

While punters will be familiar with big races from Korea (Korea Cup and Sprint, as well as a Singapore Pools race), France (Prix du Moulin and Prix Vermeille), Germany (Grosser Preis von Baden), not to mention the return of Hong Kong racing – all on Sept 7, save for the Pools event on Sept 6 – a less known territory is Turkiye.

Introduced as the latest jurisdiction to join Pools' growing "pool" of racing countries since May 1, the Mediterranean country has been gaining some traction despite its less extensive exposure to the world stage.

That is, however, not the case every September when the racing extravaganza takes place at Turkiye's premier racecourse in Veliefendi, Istanbul.

This year is no different, with six Group events bound to draw a throng of local racegoers and international visitors to the more than a century-old track.