Turkish Racing Festival: British raiders look to land the spoils

Veliefendi Racecourse plays host to some excellent racing this weekend
Entries for the International Racing Festival, taking place at Veliefendi on September 1 and 2, have been made, featuring a number of British raiders...
Six races during the Turkish Racing Festival, a quintet of Group 2 events and one Group 1, look to be of most interest at this stage, with British runners entered in all but two of them.
The Group 2 Anatolia Trophy, staged over ten furlongs and won last year by the Mark Johnston-trained Dordogne, has attracted the attention of a pair of smart performers this year in Master of Hounds and Zazou. The former has joined William Haggas after a fruitful campaign in Dubai over the winter, a win in the Group 1 Jebel Hatta being the highlight, and he looks set to continue his globetrotting career by participating here.
Zazou finished fifth in the Dubai World Cup, three places ahead of Master of Hounds, and last month achieved third place at Munich behind Pastorius, the winner producing the second best performance by a three-year-old seen this year.
Other entries to catch the eye in this contest are the Marco Botti-trained pair, Kingsdesire and Marcret, and the Godolphin trio Hunter's Light, Retrieve and Sandagiyr.
Sandagiyr also holds an entry in the Group 2 Topkapi Trophy, where he could be joined by Godolphin teammates Dysphonia and French Navy. Mark Johnston could well hold a strong hand in this event, potentially being represented by Bannock, Fulbright and Van Ellis, whilst the entry of Archbishop, who dead-heated with Trumpet Major in a Group 3 at Glorious Goodwood, is also of note.
The aforementioned Dysphonia, a listed winner in Australia who hasn't brought her "A-Game" on her two most recent starts, could alternatively compete in the Group 2 Istanbul Trophy. She may face the likes of Laugh Out Loud, who is best judged on her win in the Group 2 Prix de Sandringham on her penultimate start, and Beatrice Aurore, who had been holding her form well this year prior to getting loose before that start at Ascot last time. Survey, a Group winner in her native Germany, is also worth a second look despite being well below form in the Oak Tree Stakes at Goodwood last time, as she probably did too much too soon there.
The Group 2 Bosphorus Cup, a race dominated by the British last year with Indian Days winning, Campanologist second, Afsare fourth and Halicarnassus fifth, could well play out in similar fashion this time around, with the Brits responsible for seven of the 12 entries. Headlining the act is Dubai Prince, who recently put up a career-best when winning the Group 3 Strensall Stakes at York, finally living up to the promise that he had shown earlier in his career in the process.
Retrieve also holds an entry in this event, as do Calvado Blues and Lost In The Moment. Looking to gatecrash the Godolphin party is Sense of Purpose, from the Dermot Weld yard, and Inspector, who is trained in Turkey and has run in this race for the last four years, winning in 2008 before finishing sixth, eighth and eighth.
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