Hokkaido Horse Racing Story.

Chapter 223: Stronger than Strong

The only sounds I could hear were the wind and rain.

Climbing onto the slippery horse's back, the young stable boy's lips seemed to move.

"feel good."

So, Takeshi said this.

"A very good horse."

I had a similar feeling as early as the first time I rode on Mejiro Sakuya's horse.

Although she is extremely large, which is rare among mares, she does not feel slow when running.

A week ago, the chase performance was a bit relaxed, and the timing was just average.

However, this horse is "the exact opposite of chasing and actual combat."

Even among horse racing commentators, who are known for their skepticism, such arguments have emerged recently.

"Please give me your guidance, Sakuya."

After he said it, Wu Shi realized that the end of his words was trembling.

At this time, a noisy sound came from behind the railing over the rain.

My heart suddenly contracted as if it was being grabbed.

The pressure is natural.

Whoever takes over the reins of this horse will probably have similar feelings in today's race.

The enthusiasm was not dampened by the weather. On the contrary, the 60,000 horse racing fans showed extremely high enthusiasm from the beginning of the appearance circle.

Mejiro Sakuya, who was the center of attention, seemed completely unaware of the pressure and expectations, and took her own steps.

The rider's somewhat impatient heart slowly calmed down at this time.

When he took Mejiro Sakuya's hand again after the appearance circle, Ogawa Masaru spoke.

"Your running gait is quite nice."

At the end of the straight line, slightly away from the stands, the young stable boy's voice could finally be heard clearly this time.

More stable than expected.

"Yeah, it feels really good on my back too."

"Then I'll leave the rest to you."

After this conversation ended, Mejiro Sakuya entered the gate very smoothly.

"The eleventh race at the TCK Ooi Racecourse, the designated exchange of the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Award, the 50th Emperor's Award racewalking, a first-class event."

The live broadcast coming from the rain seemed a little distorted.

"Over the 2,000-meter mark, the racecourse is in poor condition for those over four years old."

The cheers became even louder at this moment, and countless eyes in the stands were focused on the gate.

"Mejiro Sakuya, who was in the twelfth position, finally entered the gate."

Naturally, the rider on horseback could not hear the sound on the radio at all.

Even the cheers from the stands were reduced to more straightforward noises like "Wow!"

As for the music at the opening, I was left with a somewhat uncertain impression, "It should have been over."

As the rear baffle closed, I subconsciously adjusted my breathing.

There are no flashbacks that are common in anime or light novels.

From the moment I got on the horse, my mind automatically blocked out everything except the competition.

Looking at the track in front of me, which was even worse than the Tokyo Derby, a route plan like a navigation software slowly emerged in my mind.

The starting straight line of the 2000-meter race in Dajing is very long, and there is still ample window to approach "My Place" after leaving the gate.

Coupled with the influence of rainy days, the initial forecast may show a slower passing time.

"If we hadn't fought so hard at the beginning of that match, we might have been able to win it in one go in the end."

This thought flashed through my mind, but I quickly returned to the game in front of me.

"Then let's try starting with the first three or four stacks."

After confirming the route after exiting the gate, all that remains is to wait quietly for the start of the race.

"The decisive battle of the summer's middle distance on dirt, the race begins—" Although there might be some complaints under normal circumstances, the fans were wholeheartedly cheering for the upcoming race, infected by the atmosphere in the stadium.

The gate popped open and the raindrops hitting my body suddenly became violent.

The race started with the usual chaotic scenes of dirt track racing.

Mejiro Sakuya's start wasn't bad, but she didn't gain any advantage over the other twelve horses.

After roughly confirming the positions of his opponents with his peripheral vision, Wu Shi instantly changed his original plan.

“Try to open up on the outside first, and then move to the inside when you’re turning.”

As the battle progresses towards a melee, it is easy to be surrounded by horses if you attack inward rashly.

Even the rider Wadahara, who had a magical ride in the Kentucky Derby, said afterwards, "It was half luck and half intuition," which seemed overly modest to outsiders.

However, this is the truth among the horses.

Luck is crucial for running while being surrounded.

Although they had only worked together a few times, Wu Shi had unquestionable confidence in the ability of his partner.

Walking out against the wind and rain, Lumao's figure shuttled through the summer night amid the cheers of 60,000 people.

"Mejiro Sakuya from the 12th division is coming from the outside, and the popular second division player Miki Tosho is also actively moving forward from a slightly inside position."

"The horses tend to be compact, and their positions are constantly changing after the second round."

The match did not turn into the showdown that horse racing fans expected from the beginning.

Both Mejiro Sakuya on the outside and Miki Tosho who was slightly blocked from the inside fence entered the first corner with some energy left.

Amidst the afterglow of the welcoming and farewell cheers, Mejiro Sakuya slowly leaned inward.

"This is it."

He did not feel ecstatic or relieved. At this moment, Wu Shi's mind remained tense.

It's far from time to relax.

If I could accumulate enough energy to sprint straight ahead, I might have a chance to win the game.

Before the game, Tosaki, who was riding on the saddle of Mikito, had similar thoughts.

As long as the game is dragged into a melee, there is a chance to win by relying on the nature of seeking out the strange and fighting the outstanding generals.

however--

There is no doubt about the strongest strength on the mud.

As the reins were pulled, the illusion of equal strength was ruthlessly shattered.

He waved his limbs vigorously and stomped the ground powerfully.

Before the race, I received advice from the trainer and stable staff that "although I am better at running a war of attrition, I can also perform well in situations where the outcome depends on the last kick."

"Winning at the last minute on a rainy day is too dangerous."

Wu Shi decisively chose a safer way of playing.

Although it is not enough to show the rider's strength, smoothness itself is more important than anything else.

After experiencing those two and a half years of intense happiness and regret, my understanding of this has become even more profound.

"Just like that, victory will be decided fairly and squarely based on strength."

With its unparalleled strength that seemed to be rushing to the ends of the earth.

The suspense of the race didn't even continue until the final straight line, as a flash of deer-hair lightning pierced through the white sand track with unstoppable force.

At the muddy end of the bend, the unwilling pursuers disappeared one after another behind them.

"Mejiro Sakuya takes the lead, it's done!"

"Undoubtedly the strongest in the world, the three-horse body crusher wins!"

The commentary and cheers filled the night sky.

The rider, who had not urged the horse since entering the straight, but had frequently looked back, finally raised his right hand in a belated celebration.

"Ah, I won."

In the stands, Kitano and Dr. Kobayashi pumped their fists in celebration.

At this moment, the cell phone stuffed in the back pocket of his pants suddenly vibrated.

(End of this chapter)