Hokkaido Horse Racing Story.

Chapter 364 A More Important Goal
After the game.

Emerging from the crowded streets, Zep stretched out his arms towards the blue sky and uttered a grumbling, "So tired."

Many of the free merchandise distributed to local horse racing fans relied on the assistant manager's manual labor for transport.

The horse owner was also stretching his body nearby, raising his arms high to loosen his muscles and bones that had started to ache after signing so many autographs.

Judging from the position of the sun, it should only be past noon.

He squinted slightly, looked up at the dazzling sunlight outside the racetrack, and pondered what to do next.

"How about going to the victory celebration banquet?"

The suggestion came from Rachel Ho, a female employee who also helped a lot with moving the surrounding area, but showed no signs of fatigue.

"I'm actually a little hungry, let's go."

I agreed without much thought, since the original plan was to have dinner in Sapporo before returning to the ranch anyway.

"But since it's a victory celebration, how about we invite the stables and Devon's riders as well?"

—Although it was a loss that didn't seem worthy of such celebration.

After saying that, a loud noise erupted in my ears, loud enough to attract the attention of passersby.

"Long live the president!"

"There are so many restaurants nearby!"

"I won't be polite about accepting the bounty for Eli-chan's first round!"

It's still the same noisy and chaotic place as always.

Let's go to this one—

While the members were still swiping through various apps to search for their targets, they pointed to a corner outside the parking lot.

"I'm fairly familiar with this area."

After all, my alma mater, Hokkaido University, is just one block away from the racetrack.

Although most of the time I eat my main meals in the school cafeteria, I sometimes have the urge to try something different.

A Nepalese family-run restaurant called "Sagarmatha Chula".

The taste and dining environment are quite good, and because of the taste, even during peak meal times, the wait is not too long.

More importantly, it's relatively wallet-friendly.

"Huh, Nepalese food?"

"Although I'm not entirely sure of the specific differences, it should taste similar to Indian cuisine."

"Curry is fine with me too!"

Amid the members' joking remarks that "Lavidsang is going to become a ghost," they set off for the restaurant, which was not far from the racetrack.

I contacted Devongo riders through Ando Translation and quickly received a reply that they were "very happy to help".

Soon after, Yoshida and Ikeda, the stable staff, also sent back a reply.

After walking straight through the parking lot from the east side of the racecourse for a few minutes, you'll arrive at the restaurant you remember.

It seemed crowded at this time of day, with a group of stylishly dressed young customers crowding the entrance.

Judging from their conversation, they seemed to be horse racing fans who had just come from the racetrack.

"There's absolutely no mistake, that kid is my favorite for next year's derby!"

A young female horse fan dressed in cosplay proudly puffed out her chest and faced her companions with a lecturing expression.

"Judging from the stride frequency of the last three waves, that child..."

Just as the female horse racing enthusiast was about to explain, her companion looked over as if to interrupt her.

"Oh, it's President Kitano!"

The female horse fan, who initially seemed a bit depressed, quickly became quite excited.

The horse racing fans who were surrounded asked for autographs on the race tickets, support tickets, horse dolls, and various other support merchandise.

Sometimes, I'm really curious about where they get so many things from.

After a slight delay, we finally got inside the restaurant.

The owner behind the counter looked at the nostalgic, exotic decor, which hadn't changed much since he was in school, with a somewhat surprised expression.

He was recognized immediately. Apparently, it was because students and fans who came to eat often mentioned him, and the years since leaving university have left an even deeper impression on him than before.

Ah, so it was you!
It's more like an expression of sudden realization.

We chatted briefly, catching up on old times, and then sat down with the other members at the counter.

Yoshida and Ikeda, the stable manager, arrived shortly afterward. After exchanging a few words of congratulations, they chatted about various topics, both related and unrelated to horse racing.

Yoshida shared his riding experiences from his time as a rider, while Ikeda, a stableman, chatted with Zepp about fishing tips.

The second hand of the clock on the wall went around a few more times, and Ando, ​​the translator, and Devonko, the rider, also arrived.

The already limited bar area was completely occupied.

Zepp handed the menu to the two people who had just arrived, and Devongo said "thank you" in broken Japanese.

Zep responded in Japanese, "You're welcome."

Since everyone still had their own work to do in the afternoon, they mainly ordered milk and tea drinks in addition to the set meals.

Instead of ordering drinks individually like everyone else, I opted for the "value" set meal that sounded like "Otona" (adult).

Although I graduated from university quite some time ago, my views on money don't change overnight. At least for now, I still can't help but choose the options that feel more worthwhile.

After confirming that everyone has received their drinks, stand up and announce the start of the celebration banquet in a voice that will not disturb the other guests.

"It feels like a club gathering from my student days."

Holding a cup of hot tea in both hands, Asayama made this comment.

However, the so-called victory celebration banquet was probably just that kind of thing.

By the time the food was served, everyone was already chatting enthusiastically, and even Devonko, the rider who was not good at Japanese, had become friends with the ranch staff.

After chatting with Zep, who was sitting next to me, for a while, I turned to look at the other people who were a little further away.

In the context of horse owners, communication with people involved in horse racing generally does not need to be overly intimate.

However, for breeders and owners whose main business is horse racing, at least a few key figures are necessary.

It is thanks to them that our network of contacts has been maintained and expanded.

While I was still thinking about all this nonsense, Yoshida had already come over with a drink.

Zepp got up to give him his seat and went to the other side to find jockey Devongo, who was explaining Australian and New Zealand horse racing.

"What are the club president's thoughts on the next round of the competition?"

"Is it too late for the Niigata or Chukyo matches?"

Because I wasn't clear about Baozuo's specific post-race condition, after witnessing the significant gap in his body length, I subconsciously felt that he was still quite exhausted.

"It should be fine. The child started eating soon after returning to the expedition stable. But just to be on the safe side, how about registering him for the two-year-old championship in Sapporo as well?"

He put down his glass, nodded, paused for a moment, then twirled the glass in his hand and made a suggestion.

"Let's do it this way, and then there's the goal for the year."

He sipped the juice on the table in front of him with a straw in one go, and then slowly opened his mouth.

Upon hearing this, Yoshida Shiya adopted a serious expression as if he were listening attentively.

However, before making a decision, we first hope to get detailed feedback from the riders.

While it's possible to make decisions by relying on consultants, some details need to be considered from the outset to ensure long-term success.

At the same time, he got up and walked to the other side of the bar, and the New Zealand rider also raised his head at that moment.

"Its speed is unparalleled, but as can be observed with the naked eye, its hind legs are not very powerful, and there are also some aspects of its temperament that need attention."

According to rider Devonko, there was indeed an initial idea to have Baozu start the race from the lead position.

However, noticing the Black Deer Horse's overly strong drive forward, he quickly adjusted his tactics and chose a position where the lead horse was shielded from view.

After my attention was slightly diverted, the tendency to bite did improve to some extent.

However, as he entered the straight from the bend, encouraged by the fans in the stands, Baozuo began to show signs of impatience again.

"Although he is very strong, this personality trait, which could turn into bad habits, could put him at a disadvantage in crucial matches."

Before Ando translated, polished, and relayed the rider's somewhat blunt statement, he understood it and then lowered his head slightly, lost in thought.

It seems there are more important goals this year than winning one or two more games—

(End of this chapter)