Hokkaido Horse Racing Story.

Chapter 286 The Final Stage

The gate popped open, but the first figure to appear before everyone was not the familiar white figure.

Wearing its signature red and yellow mask, Beljajun, starting from the third gate, seized the initiative with a clear advantage.

His heart pounded so hard that even the sound of hooves couldn't drown it out, but Ochiai made his decision in an instant.

"It's not time to decide the outcome yet."

With the reins loosened slightly, his partner immediately slowed down as well, falling behind Belle Jiajun at a leisurely pace.

Out of the corner of my eye, the soldiers on the field were also cautiously positioned at the rear of the herd of horses.

In the early stages of the match, the popular fleeing horses were locked in a stalemate, each guarding their own position.

Then--

Wait for the opportunity.

"On the long straight, Belga Jun, who had a favorable start, took the lead. The first-ranked Megumi Hajime was in second place, slightly behind on the inside. The third-ranked Miso was on the outside. The seventh-ranked Sugiyama was chasing forward with a bit of a bite. Behind them, the soldiers Harano and Kuwamura Masaaki were advancing in a good position in the middle."

As soon as the commentator finished speaking, the gradually lengthening herd of horses thundered across the straight road in front of the stands.

As if infected by such enthusiasm, in the frigid North Star stands, some people buried their faces in their scarves, while others turned up their collars. The fans cheered and encouraged their horses with flushed cheeks despite the cold wind.

"Don't lose to them, Nopo-chan!"

At the very front of Chairman Blue Horse, an agitated man stood up, leaning on his cane.

"You're getting too excited, Mr. Sugiyama."

That's exactly what I wanted to say—

"Go for it, Pegasus!"

"That's right, that's the pace!"

"You have to win, Ochiai rider!"

It seems that the voices from their own camp are louder.

As the herd entered the first bend, Belgajun, who was in the lead, continued to widen the gap.

Amidst the cacophony of voices, a whisper drifted out—

"If the opponent is that Beljajun, this level of advantage shouldn't be enough to catch up."

The target to surpass is the rare last-place type among mud horses.

The pursuers in second place seemed unaffected, maintaining their own light and agile rhythm.

"It won't be a problem."

With absolute trust in his partner, Ochiai remained patient and did not take any action.

"At a distance of two kilometers, Belgajun is definitely no match for Pegasus."

Maintaining this trust to the very end, we arrived at the bend at the end of the straight ahead.

With the lead horse on the saddle of Beljajun, Sangcun did not hesitate to urge it on with a whip.

The once-proud last-place finisher failed to become the dominant force on the road today, as Beljajun's lead had completely vanished before the fourth turn.

In one fell swoop, the soldier Haruno, who appeared as the first challenger, overtook the generational shift and arrived at the front of the herd.

At the end of the bend, Ochiai, who had been waiting patiently on the inside, calmly raised his whip.

"It's now."

My heart started pounding faster in that instant.

The next moment, the pure white horse stretched out its body further, and, bathed in the grand cheers of the crowd, charged into the straight road.

"The soldiers are leading the way in the field, but the White Horse is coming from the inside! The White Horse is coming!"

The instant the arm pushes forward, the instant the neck stretches forward—

The gears of man and horse meshed tightly at this moment.

With its gait as one with its rider, the Reed Horse glanced out of the corner of its eye at its relentlessly pursuing opponent.

Then, it leaped into the lead, spitting as it did so. "Mokubairo Machi! It's Mokubairo Machi that caught up from behind—"

Incredulous gasps rang out simultaneously from the broadcast and the stands, but quickly turned into even more enthusiastic cheers.

In the final race of the Daoying Horse Racing in 2027, a pure white horse was the first to cross the finish line.

"My eyes are full of surprise!"

"Responding to popular expectations, the Doei commemorates the victory of riders Hakubachi and Ochiai Genta!"

As he crossed the finish line solo, the rider removed his goggles and made a huge victory sign, as if he were about to crush something.

"Ah—is rider Ochiai crying? Tears from that cool gentleman."

On the screen, a close-up of the rider's face clearly shows tears welling up.

As snow fell on the Menbie Racecourse, applause gradually surrounded the winner.

Incredibly, incredibly warm.

Ochiai sobbed as he stroked his partner's head.

This time, the usually averse-to-being-touched white horse surprisingly did not get angry.

"This is a one-time offer, you can't do it next time."

The slightly drooping, fluffy ears seem to be conveying this message.

“We did it, Pegasus.”

The ancient horse wall, erected by Belgajun and the soldiers of the plains, is insurmountable.

They were lifted up and then thrown down, full of expectations, only to have their dreams shattered in the blink of an eye.

No matter how many times you are thwarted, you get up again; even after falling, you bravely move forward and continue to challenge the formidable predecessors.

Two years ago, when we first met at Nishiken Ranch, that calm face, which hasn't changed much since then, flashed through my mind.

"This is wonderful!"

I couldn't help but say it out loud.

Amidst applause, the panting, tongue lolling out, Mubai Baima was led to the familiar Menbie Racecourse entrance to retrieve its track.

In a clash between two three-time champions, the victory was achieved by the latecomer who came from behind.

Wiping away his tears, the rider's words of farewell to the horse fans who had witnessed this scene echoed between the dark night and the pure white horse's body.

“Thank you very much for your support!”

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"[@nar_keiba：

Overseas expeditions targeting the United States

Genta Ochiai, a 29-year-old rider from Hokkaido, will be traveling to the United States for training. His departure date is December 25, and his return date is yet to be determined.

Trainer Junji Tanaka of the stable said, "This was a very difficult decision for him, and there were many difficulties to overcome, but I will support his choice."

- National Association of Racing (NAR) Formula

"[@nar_keiba：

[Daoying Memorial]

The first move is to use the white horse.

In the 70th Doei Memorial (3-year-old, 2000m right) held at the Monbetsu Racecourse today, the Metsubai horse (4-year-old, Hokkaido, Junji Tanaka stable), ridden by rider Genta Ochiai (Hokkaido), won.

"Bai Tianma started his comeback from second place on the final straight, eventually overtaking Soldier Yuanye to win the race. Soldier Yuanye was second, and Belga Jun was third."

- National Association of Racing (NAR) Formula

"The deadline for additional registrations for the Hong Kong International Race Walking Day officially ended at 6 pm today. The Hong Kong Jockey Club Selection Committee will then select the participating horses, and the results will be announced by the Hong Kong Jockey Club on its official website and official account one week from now."

— JAIRS, a public interest corporation
(End of this chapter)