Hokkaido Horse Racing Story.

Chapter 140 Beyond the Clouds
On the morning of July 3rd, the sticky moisture left after the rain enveloped the Dajing Racecourse.

"So fast--"

An exclamation came from the horse trainer at the railing.

The petite chestnut figure emerged from the outer lane like lightning, leaving the other four horses participating in the test behind in an instant.

The time for 800 meters was 51.2 seconds.

Although on paper he was marked "qualified" like the other test horses, there was no doubt about his potential.

"How's it, Ayi? I told you it's a good horse!"

After reporting the passing of the ability test to the horse owner, Majima patted the railing and shouted to the rider on the horse.

"Hey, hey, this will put more pressure on me."

Taking off his slightly fogged goggles, a trace of helplessness flashed across the face of the rider known as Ayi.

"This child must be paired with the best rider."

With this obsession, Majima repeatedly invited his junior Sasagawa Tsubasa from his former rider days to commission him.

Of course, Sasakawa didn't accept the commission entirely because of the rogue senior's persistence.

His grandfather, Konomura Yoshimatsu, served as the manager of the Shirai Breeding Farm at Nishiyama Ranch for a considerable period of time.

Since I was six or seven years old, before I became a rider, I have had a deep connection with the Xishan title.

The Kitano horse owner with the white eyes has a close relationship with Mr. Nishiyama, regardless of age difference.

At the end of last year, Mr. Nishiyama introduced the owner of Kitano Horse, who was preparing to enter Oi, to Sasagawa.

Due to various reasons, we have only had the opportunity to cooperate now.

but--

As soon as his fingertips brushed the horse's neck, the chestnut-haired horse beneath him shrank its neck reflexively.

It is exactly as what is said in the rider circle.

The racehorses owned by the North Wild Horse Owner are all guys with weird tempers.

Even wearing a full-fledged mask and blindfold, he could still clearly feel the discomfort coming from the horse's back.

She was afraid of the horses in front and behind her, the grass and mud flying around her, and even the reflection of the railings on the track could make Atalanta feel scared.

The type who is completely unsuitable for running among horses.

Coupled with his overly petite body, there was probably only one way of running that was suitable for this child.

However, the trainer gave completely opposite instructions.

"No escape allowed."

This was within Sasakawa's expectations.

While it is certainly very entertaining, it is also obvious that the Great Escape Method is very harmful to the horse's body.

It's not surprising that the camp consisting of Kitano Mama and Majima-senpai would make such a request.

“Similarly, running in the front should be avoided as much as possible.”

Such a requirement is a bit of a headache.

Even in an 800m test with only five horses running, it is not easy to do this.

Atalanta itself is not a difficult type to control, and her fear of gates is also easily overcome.

From this point of view, the ranch responsible for the training work was really helpful.

However, it’s a different story when you’re among a group of horses.

"It's so scary, let me get out of here!"

In the test just now, this kind of emotion was conveyed through the tight reins throughout the whole process.

"I almost broke my hand just now, Majima-senpai."

Handing the reins to the stable attendant waiting nearby, Sasakawa rubbed his wrist and complained.

“There is indeed such a problem—”

Majima's smugness vanished considerably in an instant. "But couldn't you have tried a little harder?"

The trainer asked as he trotted to keep up with the rider.

"There's no way I'm running like this in a real race—"

The humid air of the rainy season was wrapped in sweat, sticking tightly to the winning uniform.

Majima picked up the form in his hand and fanned it diligently.

Although I can't feel much wind.

"Besides, 'You have to follow the horse's temperament,' isn't that what the senior said himself?"

Throwing the goggles to the other person, Sasakawa sighed helplessly.

"Keep up the good work. How about I invite you to the teahouse next time you come to Xiaolin?"

Majima took the goggles with some hesitation and suggested as if bargaining.

"At least three times, right?"

"Deal! You can't go back on your word if you're like this."

The two walked towards the exit side by side, and Sasakawa sighed again.

He is really a troublesome senior.

When I thought about someone calling a guy like this "Master Mashima" one day in the future, my future as an Oi rider suddenly felt bleak.

"If you sigh frequently, you'll age prematurely, you see."

Before we knew it, the thick clouds had disappeared without a trace.

The trainer and rider gradually faded away, leaving only vague outlines.

A ray of warm and humid sunlight like midsummer broke through the clouds and shone onto the track.

On the other side of the clouds, the silver-gray glass curtain wall of the building silently overlooks the intersection of the port area.

In the elevator going up, my stomach felt heavy, as if I was about to vomit.

The failure of the World Riders Series seems to be a foregone conclusion.

In addition to the fact that the impact was far less than expected, they encountered great obstruction in Europe, especially in the UK.

Many racing club managers believe that this activity may squeeze out the living space of local riders and even undermine the country's horse racing tradition.

Of course, such concerns are understandable.

Not every country's horse racing club has strong funds to maintain operations.

In the UK, many young riders spend hours every day traveling back and forth between racecourses just to earn a meager prize money.

Sometimes, they even have to pay out of their own pockets to maintain this undignified and physically dangerous profession.

In addition to the hostility from the Jockey Club and riders, the horse racing atmosphere in Europe is also very different from that in Japan.

Rather than the active racehorses and riders on the track, the horse lovers there seemed to be more interested in the beer and horse racing tickets in their hands.

In Japan, the promotion of this global series has also encountered problems.

Although the reaction was not as strong as that of its European counterparts, JRA was also not optimistic about the prospects of the event.

With the momentum of WASJ (World Star Riders Competition) in the near future and the cooperation of many stakeholders, we have managed to complete the procedures for this year's WJS Sapporo Station in Japan.

However, both JRA and the participating riders have considerable concerns about the prospects of the Japanese station.

Will the overlap between the two events cause a dilution of attention? Is Sapporo too remote compared to other major venues? Will the event be able to continue next year?

All these anxieties led to Taketoshi's itinerary today.

The legendary rider, who had little involvement with local horse racing during his long career, made a rare visit to the NAR headquarters.

　Thanks to my wife for the 100 starting coins reward

　　Thank you for your support

　　Ciallo～(∠ω<)⌒★
　　The second update will be later
　　
　
(End of this chapter)