Hokkaido Horse Racing Story.

Chapter 347: The famous slave on the grass

"President, this match—"

"It's okay to relax a bit more, just ride according to your feeling."

"I don't have much to say. Let's try to make it a race that's close to the actual performance."

Tanaka, who had folded the race ticket in half and stuffed it into his pocket, joined the conversation, his expression slightly more relaxed than before.

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

After saying that, he bowed deeply to the rider.

After bowing in response, Ishikawa turned and jogged toward the parade ground track.

Seemingly because his interaction with the fans was interrupted, Pegasus grunted a few times in displeasure as Pegasus mounted him.

However, I still reluctantly took the first step.

After signing autographs and taking photos with Mr. Nishiyama, a routine that was familiar to both of them, they headed towards the viewing room.

Following the flow of people back to the Fuji Grandstand, the line outside the JRA official souvenir shop on the second floor was even longer than when we arrived.

"There isn't one? This should have been made clear from the beginning."

"What a disappointment."

Occasionally, such complaints would be heard from horse racing fans walking out of the store.

JRA does not sell any merchandise related to local horse racing.

For this reason, in the past two years, local racetracks have seen a significant increase in new horse racing fans who, although they don't watch races much, always leave with bags full of purchases every time they go.

"Honestly, I thought you'd only come if you could buy a Pegasus horse puppet. Ah—it's President Kitano!"

Not wanting to disappoint the fans who had made a special trip, he agreed to all requests for autographs and photos.

Even the old man from Nishiyama laughed and said something like, "Kitano-kun is being too enthusiastic."

This reason caused us to waste a lot of time on the road, and by the time we arrived at the viewing room, the pre-race test run had already ended.

Looking through the glass from afar, the horses were entering the gate one by one from the section that extended diagonally out from the second bend.

The worst fears did not come true.

Despite its high-profile pre-race performance, the white horse, the most conspicuous among the herd, entered the gate quite smoothly.

Amidst applause that was completely out of sync with the music, the horses disappeared one after another behind the gate.

"The eleventh race at Tokyo Racecourse, the forty-fifth Eisen Cup, 1,800 meters on the turf."

The exceptionally clear broadcast rang in my ears, followed by a burst of pre-match cheers and applause from the stands below.

Spreading the race chart on his knees, the Pegasus team, whose race was about to start at number six or eleven in the Yesen Cup section, was ranked number nine in popularity before the race.

For the runner-up, there's no need to bear too much pressure regarding popularity rankings, although this time it might not be a strategy of leading and letting go.

Just as I was thinking this, the competition began.

The gates opened on the runway on the other side of the line of sight, and the first thing that appeared was a striking white color.

Since the beginning of the Martian year, Pegasus has had an unusually good run of play.

To be honest, I didn't feel too much joy because of this; instead, I started to worry about the upcoming matches.

—In Fuchu, a long straight course, it is not easy to win a race by taking the lead. Before the race, the stables also considered "inner runners taking the lead more than those who take the lead".

However, given this development, they could only continue running along with the flow of the race.

Turning our attention back to the clearer viewing screen, as Ishikawa tugged on the reins, Pegasus, taking advantage of the slight lead he had at the start, was gradually getting closer to the inside rail.

On the straight uphill section directly opposite, Pegasus slowed his pace slightly, allowing the second-placed horse, Qingyuan, who had previously held the inside lead, to move forward and break the previous close lead. My heart began to race a little tense here.

However, perhaps because the rider Ishikawa was trying his best to appease him, or perhaps because he was satisfied with his triumphant display at the parade ground, Pegasus did not dwell too much on the deer-haired horse that had overtaken him.

"Well done, Prema!"

Hearing Mr. Matsumoto's excited cheers, he also breathed a sigh of relief.

It's so great that I don't have to be the unlucky one who has to be a delivery person—

With that thought in mind, my gaze shifted back and forth between the screen and the racetrack.

Heading towards the third bend, Mingjiang Qingyuan quickened its pace, further widening the gap with the herd behind it.

Although it's unclear whether it was a bite or a command from the rider, the previously slow pace of the game was changed at this moment.

As the herd of horses behind them picked up speed, Pegasus and Ishikawa, who had been maintaining their own pace and staying in second place, were forced to quicken their pace as well.

The third and fourth turns led into the final straight, where cheers erupted. Riders in the rear group tugged at their reins, searching for advantageous positions to sprint forward.

The long, narrow line instantly transformed into a straight line. At this moment, the Reed Horse, which had endured for most of the journey, slightly raised its head, leaving the approaching herd of horses on its right behind.

Isn't it a bit too early?

Despite this unease, at this point one can only trust Pegasus's own judgment.

"As it turns into the straight from the fourth bend, Mingjiang Qingyuan is still in the lead, with an advantage of about one horse length!"

"Metoba, the second-ranked player, launched a chase at this time and overtook the opponent on the slope. Now Metoba is in the lead with only two hundred meters left."

The broadcast sped up, and the cheers from the stands below grew louder.

The two horse owners, Matsumoto and Nishiyama, on either side, also shouted and waved their fists to cheer on their beloved horses.

"Don't give up, Prema!"

"That's right, that's how you surpass them all!"

"Run, Pegasus!"

He stood up from his seat, waving his fist.

—The noisy bunch has increased from two to three.

"The one coming up from the outside is Gerdaya, but Linglongju is in the lead, Linglongju of number 13 is in the lead!"

At the moment of crossing the finish line, the white figure that had first overtaken was now about five places behind.

It seems they started exerting their efforts too early after all.

Nevertheless, the Reeves' horse, which had come to a slow stop after crossing the finish line, still stuck out its tongue and proudly raised its head.

When the close-up shot of the winning horse turned to Pegasus's face, a cheer from the stands erupted, no less enthusiastic than before.

"He really is that guy—"

------------

"【Yesen Cup】"

Before the race, the popular local horse, Bai Tianma, finished with a score of four.

Ishikawa, the jockey, said, "I received instructions on the odds from the trainer and the owner before the race, but unfortunately I was still unable to deliver a good result. If I could have been more patient, I think I still have a chance to win this race."

"While there were some regrettable aspects, overall it was a satisfying match. He delivered a very good performance in his first experience on grass, and I look forward to his performance after moving to Central."

——《n○tkeiba》

(End of this chapter)