Veliefendi Race Course
Encyclopedia
Veliefendi Race Course is a horse racing
track
located at Veliefendi neighborhood in Zeytinburnu
district of Istanbul
, Turkey
.
It is country's oldest and biggest race course founded on a former grassland that was historically a farm belonging to Şeyhülislam Veliyüddin Efendi, a 18th-century superior authority of Islam
in the Ottoman Empire
. The race course was constructed in the years 1912/13 by German specialists upon the initiative of Enver Pasha.
The race course hosts also music events. In 2006, Turkish pop singer Nez held a concert.
The track's seating capacity is 7,600. The complex comprises of offices, a museum, an exhibition hall, a racehorse hospital, an apprentice training center as well as social and recreational facilities.
In July 1953, bettors throw horsemen with stones and beat a jockey named Muhacir Ahmet (literally: Ahmet The Immigrant) they believed he had swindled. Two years later local newspapers published about swindels at Veliefendi Race Course, and during a race on July 13, 1955, the bettors stoned the administration building, and Muhacir Ahmet was beaten once again.
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
track
Race track
A race track is a purpose-built facility for racing of animals , automobiles, motorcycles or athletes. A race track may also feature grandstands or concourses. Some motorsport tracks are called speedways.A racetrack is a permanent facility or building...
located at Veliefendi neighborhood in Zeytinburnu
Zeytinburnu
Zeytinburnu is a working class neighbourhood, municipality and district on the European side of İstanbul, Turkey, on the shore of the Marmara Sea just outside the walls of the ancient city, beyond the fortress of Yedikule...
district of Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
.
It is country's oldest and biggest race course founded on a former grassland that was historically a farm belonging to Şeyhülislam Veliyüddin Efendi, a 18th-century superior authority of Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
in the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
. The race course was constructed in the years 1912/13 by German specialists upon the initiative of Enver Pasha.
The race course hosts also music events. In 2006, Turkish pop singer Nez held a concert.
Physical attributes
The race course covers an area of 59.6 ha (147.3 acre) consisting of facilities for racing, training and barns. The race course has three interleaved tracks as:- a 2020 m (2,209.1 yd) long and 27–36 m (88.6–118.1 ft) wide turf oval,
- a 1870 m (2,045.1 yd) long and 17.5–19 m (57.4–62.3 ft) wide synthetic track for all-weather racing and
- a 1730 m (1,892 yd) long and 16–17 m (52.5–55.8 ft) wide sand oval for training.
The track's seating capacity is 7,600. The complex comprises of offices, a museum, an exhibition hall, a racehorse hospital, an apprentice training center as well as social and recreational facilities.
Major races
- Gazi RaceGazi RaceThe Gazi Race is a Turkish thoroughbred horse flat race that is established in honor of the founder of the Turkish Republic Gazi Mustafa Kemal. It is country's most prestigious horse racing event, which is held uninterruptedly since its establishment in 1927...
(Gazi Koşusu), is the most prestigious Turkish Oaks, and is held since 1927 in memory of Mustafa Kemal AtatürkMustafa Kemal AtatürkMustafa Kemal Atatürk was an Ottoman and Turkish army officer, revolutionary statesman, writer, and the first President of Turkey. He is credited with being the founder of the Republic of Turkey....
, who was awarded the honorific title "Gazi" (GhaziGhaziGhazi is a title given to Muslim warriors or champions. It may be used out of respect or officially. Many of the Ottoman Sultans and Caliphs wore this title officially , along with Khan and Caesar...
). Initially run in AnkaraAnkaraAnkara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second largest city after Istanbul. The city has a mean elevation of , and as of 2010 the metropolitan area in the entire Ankara Province had a population of 4.4 million....
, the event was later transferred to Veliefendi Race Course. The award is about TL 1.4 million (approx. US$ 850,000 as of June 2011), and since 1970 is accompanied with a silver equestrian statue of Atatürk.
- Prime Minister's Race (Başbaşkanlık Koşusu) is a Turkish Oaks held since 1951. The winner is awarded TL 300,000 (approx. US$180,000 as of July 2011) and a trophy bestowed by the Turkish prime minister.
Incidents
During a race on July 31, 1949, four race horses, including two favourite horses, did not leave the starting gate upon the referee's start sign, and were disqualified. The bettors protested about a possible swindle by the referees and the racehorse owners, and demanded a rerun. As the referee commission rejected the demand, the crowd set the referee tower, the bleachers, the administration and box offices on fire.In July 1953, bettors throw horsemen with stones and beat a jockey named Muhacir Ahmet (literally: Ahmet The Immigrant) they believed he had swindled. Two years later local newspapers published about swindels at Veliefendi Race Course, and during a race on July 13, 1955, the bettors stoned the administration building, and Muhacir Ahmet was beaten once again.