In the 100th Gazi Race, 'Bay Nalçakan' Won, 20 Thousand TL VIP Menu Sparked Controversy

The Gazi Race, the most deeply rooted and prestigious organization in Turkish racing history, was held for the 100th time this year with great enthusiasm. This race of derby quality, which has been run uninterruptedly since 1927 in the name of Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, holds great importance with its century-old history. On this special anniversary, Veliefendi Hippodrome overflowed with the intense interest of racing enthusiasts and guests. The atmosphere in the stands, as much as the competition on the track, made this historic day unforgettable. However, the pride of the 100th year was overshadowed when the bill for a menu served in the VIP area of the organization emerged.

The name that reached first place in the breathtaking giant race was the thoroughbred named "Bay Nalçakan", owned by Emrah Nalçakan. Ridden by Halis Karataş, considered one of the legendary figures of Turkish jockeyship, the horse left its rivals behind and achieved a historic victory. While this result added a new one to the successes in Karataş's career, it also created a proud moment for the owner Nalçakan. Spect applauded the superior performance of the legendary jockey in this long and tough race on their feet for minutes. This victory at the finish line of the race went down in history as the most important sporting struggle of the 100th-anniversary organization.

This historic victory on the track and the enthusiasm in the stands remained quite weak compared to a price controversy experienced in the private invitation area of the organization. Because it soon emerged that the per-person fee of the menu offered to VIP guests for the 100th year of the Gazi Race was exactly 20.000 TL. Moreover, this figure was determined as a package price that did not even include any alcoholic beverages. This menu, made mandatory for all guests over the age of seven, resulted in a very heavy bill for the participants' wallets. After the situation was shared on social media, thousands of people started discussing the topic and expressed the opinion that this price was extremely high considering the menu content.

The content of the menu, which became the focus of criticism, consisted of quite traditional Turkish cuisine examples. Guests were first served an hors d'oeuvre plate featuring elements such as roast beef, stuffed peppers, Cretan mash with eggplant sauce, and carrot tarator. In addition to this, Bombay beans, a cheese platter, and cheese pastry and stuffed meatballs as hot starters took their place on the tables. Among the main course options were lamb shank with Sultan's delight or baked chicken thighs with vegetables accompanied by saffron rice; for dessert, seasonal fruits and semolina halva were served. Many social media users could not find a logical justification for this rather ordinary and classic menu, without alcohol, to reach 20.000 TL.

This price-performance controversy turned into a topic that divided social media and caused different opinions to emerge. Some racing enthusiasts and participants argued that these prices for the VIP experience of a century-old organization like the Gazi Race were understandable due to the sanctity of the special day. However, a large majority of racing enthusiasts and social media users expressed their reactions, stating that such a menu, where even alcoholic beverages were not served, would never be worth 20.000 TL. This high amount demanded for standard foods on a traditional race day was also criticized on the grounds that it deviated from the purpose of this meaningful organization held in the name of Atatürk. As a result, the 100th year of the Gazi Race began to be remembered more for this menu price crisis experienced in the VIP area rather than the legendary breakthrough on the track.