Hokkaido Horse Racing Story.

Chapter 37: Victory Decided from the Rear
Ochiai swung his arms up and down, and the whip fell like snowflakes covering the sky.

He will also show decisiveness when it is necessary to use the whip.

Even if she was slow to react, Mejiro Sakuya sensed the rider's intentions.

It's time to make an effort.

Although it took some time, I did get into the state of being serious.

Ochiai breathed a sigh of relief.

It's not the type that's too difficult to control.

He intended to let Mejiro Sakuya continue on the outside straight line.

When cornering, try to keep it running slightly inside for a distance.

From a feeling perspective, there is not much difference between the situation and that of the outsiders.

Even the looser sand on the outside doesn't seem too difficult.

Therefore, there is no need to pull back to the inside to take the fast ground.

The moment he came to a conclusion, he held the reins firmly.

Then, push forward.

Sand and dirt flew under the horse's hooves as it easily overtook its opponent.

After passing the Aachen Palace, the route ahead is unobstructed.

One, two, three—

When there was still some distance to the 100-meter furlong pole, Mejiro Sakuya had caught up on the outer track and had reached a fairly forward position.

"Oh—Mejiro Sakuya! It's Mejiro Sakuya! Mejiro Sakuya is coming up from the center! The first-rank leader, Yukari Kazama, who was leading the charge, was overtaken by the third-rank leader, the wise fool!"

"How is it? Will there be a major ranking change at this position?"

Amid the noise, Kitano subconsciously clenched his fists.

No matter how many times you've experienced it, the scene before you always makes your heart beat faster.

At the moment of intersection, Ochiai clearly heard a scream.

monster--

The palace rider on Kazama Yukari's saddle addressed the deer-haired horse in front of him like this.

A brutal kick that seemed to crush all opponents.

On the other side, Ishikawa, riding on the saddle of the Wise Fool, increased the speed of his whip.

Then, he watched helplessly as the deer-haired figure at the edge of his vision continued to approach.

Mejiro Sakuya came to the first place.

Behind her, large sheets of white sand splashed high up like a palla worn for Barcelina's coronation.

Compared to the emotional horsemen in the stands, Ochiai, sitting on Mejiro Sakuya's saddle, remained calm.

"It's a little fast."

In his expectation, Mejiro Sakuya would have to wait until at least the latter part of the last 100 meters before she could hope to join the competition for the front position.

It’s still a little early to make an effort.

Or rather, he underestimated Mejiro Sakuya's ability.

but--

Now that we've reached this point, there's no point in slowing down until we stall.

Ochiai did not push too hard, but simply lowered his center of gravity slightly, trying to maintain balance while minimizing interference with the horse.

Believe in Mejiro Sakuya's final steps.

This choice was made based on past riding experience.

After graduating from the short-term rider course, I still have a vague understanding of what the instructor calls "horse priority."

But he has begun to have some experience in how to reduce the probability of making mistakes during the game.

"Mejiro Sakuya! Mejiro Sakuya, who started in ninth place, takes the lead!"

The Ishikawa rider waved his whip vigorously and did not give up.

But even though he was expected to take first place before the race, the wise and foolish man under the saddle was not out of the ordinary.

As the leading horse, it did not have the strong roots to keep fighting after being overtaken in the latter stages of the race.

Although it was still quite a distance ahead of the herd behind, it was impossible to overtake.

With a clear advantage, Mejiro Sakuya crossed the finish line first.

"Mejiro Sakuya's one move! A difference of two horse lengths! On the saddle is rider Genta Ochiai!"

At the moment of crossing the finish line, Ochiai didn't feel much reality.

His palm brushed gently against his partner's mane.

Then, he breathed a sigh of relief.

Only after that did the joy of victory arrive. "Well done, Genta!"

Leading to the venue for the commendation ceremony, Kobayashi smiled and fastened the leash to the deer-haired horse.

"It's all thanks to Mejiro Sakuya's excellent performance. I just took a nap in the saddle."

Ochiai answered while holding the reins.

After entering the straight line, his physical strength was already very limited.

If you need to push and ride, it may be difficult to exert any force.

In addition, continuing on the outside route is also a somewhat risky option.

Mejiro Sakuya's own strength was the main reason for her victory in the competition.

At least that's what Ochiai, the rider, thinks.

"Let's save the humble remarks for later!"

Kobayashi, the stable attendant, said as he patted the deer-haired horse's body which was constantly radiating heat.

"Amazing! I actually made it out of the undefeated group in my first match!"

"As expected of Mejiro—"

“Rider-san’s performance was also great when exiting the corner!”

As I passed the stands, I heard all sorts of noises.

Ochiai tugged at his helmet in shame.

He didn't think he had done anything remarkable.

Tilting her head, while Kobayashi the stable attendant wasn't paying attention, Mejiro Sakuya quickly lowered her head and took a bite of the green belt beside the railing.

Then, he spit it out quietly.

After realizing that no one seemed to notice, it quickly swung its tail a few times.

Tanaka withdrew his gaze from the stands not far away.

"This horse might win a big prize."

This was the first thing he said to Kitano after the game.

If you hadn't seen it with your own eyes, no one would have thought that a lame racehorse could have such amazing explosive power.

"It's too early to say that."

Kitano smiled and shook his head, then looked at Mejiro Sakuya's figure with some concern.

With every step the deer-hair horse took, its right hind leg would lift uncontrollably.

Just like the ringing of a bell symbolizing the failure of magic, Cinderella shed her gorgeous disguise on the field.

However, he still looks very energetic.

Slightly relieved.

Arriving at the Kuchidori ceremony venue, I first thanked Ochiai, the rider.

"You have worked hard."

"Same to Mr. Kitano."

Raising his head, Kitano looked at the other main actor.

"Thank you for your hard work, too."

He touched Mejiro Sakuya's neck, which was wet with sweat.

The deer-hair horse lowered its head slightly and stuck out its tongue, shaking it playfully.

Sure enough, he has the same temperament as Xiao Ma.

After letting go of her hand, Mejiro Sakuya nudged Kitano's shoulder with her nose, feeling a little unsatisfied.

Under the flash lights, several people's faces were filled with smiles.

After the Kuchitori ceremony, Kitano walked around the edge of the stands as usual.

"Congratulations, Master Kitano!"

"If we keep going at this pace, we'll be able to fight our way back to the center soon—"

"This kid called Mejiro Sakuya is also very powerful!"

"President Kitano is also an oriental chef"

Although the weather was very hot, there were still many horse fans who came to support tonight.

Kitano responded to their support with a smile.

Perhaps because it was the last race, the staff at the racecourse rarely rushed people.

We left the racecourse much later than expected.

(End of this chapter)