Hokkaido Horse Racing Story.

Chapter 328 The Flower Arrangement Born from Dreams
March 25th, evening, 24:00 Japan time.

At the Oi and Monbetsu racetracks, two major local racetracks that have attracted even more horse racing fans than last year, the clock struck midnight.

"It's about to begin."

"I'm really looking forward to seeing Cinderella run."

"It's Meguro's young lady."

"There are still four matches before the Dubai World Cup!"

"I really wish I could ride a time machine and travel back two hours."

—Voices of voices came from all over the audience, gradually gathering into a louder cheer amidst the electronic announcement of the hour.

"Go, local forces!"

The recording chimes, louder than those on-site, came from the phone screen, and the dark stands were packed with Ma fans.

"That's really amazing——"

Holding a phone in one hand and effortlessly supporting a plate full of food with the other, Zep's unique banquet skills are truly eye-opening.

"Hmm, this is delicious! Boss, why don't you try some?"

"No, I don't have much of an appetite."

It's not that I'm nervous, it's just that I don't feel like I'm in the right mood to eat right now.

That's a real shame.

After saying this with a rather regretful tone, the German turned around and went back to the inter-match dinner.

—A posture that has absolutely nothing to do with elegance.

"Boom-"

At that moment, the phone rang with its final chime.

The camera switched to a wide shot, showing scenes from the stands at the gate or the main stands, where male and female horse racing fans waved their arms vigorously and smiled.

Directly in front of the camera, at the North Star stands, fan club members dressed in matching support outfits slowly unfurled a huge banner interwoven with pure white and dark green.

[The entire crew departed unharmed.]

On this day, in Myitkyina, the birthplace of numerous famous mud-based wonders, a new legend is about to unfold.

On this day, Megumi Sakuya remained as composed as ever, showing no sign of anxiety even amidst the intense atmosphere of the previous matches.

"This is the final match, Sakuya."

As he took his first step into the reviewing stand, Ogawa Katsumi turned his head and said this.

Upon hearing the slow yet clear words in his ear, the deer-mane horse pricked up its ears instantly as if it had sensed something.

Although in the next moment, my attention was drawn to the greenery that served as a partition between the track and the railing.

"The rest is up to you. Don't worry too much about the result, just do your best. That's what President Kitano wants too."

As the trainer inspected the green field in the center of the parade ground, he gave the rider his final instructions in the same solemn tone as always, though his expression was far from serious.

Without the help of a translator, the female rider pursed her lips and nodded firmly.

"Understood, I will bring her back safely."

As time went by, the originally lazy look in the eyes of the deer-haired horse on the parade ground gradually changed.

On the massive 522-kilogram horse, second only to Mr. Caesar, an intangible force called "momentum" was slowly rising.

Then--

At 9:30 PM local time in Dubai, the peak was finally reached.

The last runner-up, the tenth Dubai Sunrise, dressed in a blue victory uniform, also entered the gate.

The staff jumped down from the gate box and scattered to the left and right.

As is his usual practice before commentating, Larry took off his glasses.

"They are in the gate and ready for the start."

“Racing——”

This sentence made the commentator's heart beat faster instantly.

“Dubai World Cup Number32 is on the way!”

In the sweltering night wind of the desert, the dry sound of metal rang out.

The moment the gates opened, Mejiro Sakuya, who had blended into the middle of the herd, had a mediocre start. On the inside of the third gate, Mr. Caesar's jet-black horse was about to break away, while on the outside, a flash of blue swept past everyone's eyes with a fiery aura.

"it is as expected."

Instead of joining the initial competition, the female rider hid herself in the saddle of Meguro Sakuya, a member of the herd. Her lips, which had been tightly pursed since before the race, loosened slightly without her noticing.

The opening of the match did not turn into the situation that the camp feared, where no horse led. Thanks to the analysis of the battle situation by Yahagi and Sakai, Mr. Caesar showed a strong momentum after the start, as if he wanted to completely block Sakuya from the outside lane.

Dubai Sunrise's early strike was an unexpected surprise.

Of course, this is a consideration made from the perspective of only one side.

Seemingly surprised by the direction the game was going, the two riders, Bui and Sakai, who were leading the pack, turned around to check on the horses as soon as they crossed the finish line for the first time.

But they quickly lost sight of their rear and turned their wary gazes toward each other.

"Mr. Caesar got off to a good start, moving forward on the inside after the gate, with Dubai Sunrise on the outside. Defending champion Meshiro Sakuya decided to start from a slightly back position."

Larry's steady voice was instantly drowned out by a deluge of screams and cries of anguish.

From Oi in Tokyo to Monbetsu in Hokkaido, and then to Kentucky and New York in North America, countless eyes were focused on the Deer-haired Horse, which was positioned at the front of the herd.

"Could it be that the deployment is not going well?"

Amidst the unease and skepticism, a commentator in the Dongti studio suddenly clasped his hands together and excitedly exclaimed things like, "That's it!" and "This position is definitely right!"

All emotions, whether high or low, were shut out of my mind—

Free from all distractions, Jin Meiqi simply held the reins steady, single-mindedly moving forward with the flow of the race.

For both the rider and the horse now, the race itself is everything.

Victory or defeat is merely the result after the game.

They didn't consider the other departing teams, nor did they deliberately think about winning the Dubai World Cup.

Maintaining fourth place in the herd until the final bend wasn't difficult; there was even enough room to keep up and watch your reflection in the herd as you went.

Your only opponent is yourself.

Meguro Sakuya remained calm.

For her, the term "Dubai World Cup" meant nothing.

It was just one of countless matches that had taken down Mr. Caesar so far.

Man and horse silently endured the final test that was about to befall them.

Until the junction of the third and fourth bends, when only 600 meters remained before Rongguang—

"It's time to go."

Jin Meiqi conveyed this signal to the reins.

Beneath its lazy and憨厚 (honest and simple) exterior, the deer-haired horse responded with a speed faster than ever before.

Beneath the massive horse's body, the power that had been building up in the early stages of the race erupted at this moment.

Feeling the subtle tremors transmitted through the reins, Meguro Sakuya adjusted her pace with an agility that belied her horse's physique.

Then, it forcefully broke through the gap created by the change of positions in the herd.

To Jin Meiqi's left is Sakai's face on Mr. Caesar's saddle.

We must deliver victory on the day our master retires—

We must reverse the final defeat—

The rider who made such a vow is now filled with disappointment.

During the final bend, Mr. Caesar, who had taken over the lead from Meguro Sakuya, finally collapsed from exhaustion.

Sakai and Yahagi's last dream has come to an end.

The confident lead at the beginning of the race was completely swallowed up by the approaching herd of horses from behind, as if it were an illusion.

Further ahead, there was only one horse—

Dubai sunrise.

A nationally renowned broadcaster shouted into the microphone—

"In the final 500 meters, the horses prepared to turn from the bend into the straight. Dubai Sunrise showed no signs of weakness. Mr. Caesar was the first to withdraw from the race, and Meguro Sakuya was chasing in second place on the outside!"

(End of this chapter)