Hokkaido Horse Racing Story

He straightened his chest again and uttered the last sentence.

“I’m so glad we discovered this and let the world smell the roses.”

Before the applause started again, Kitano had already returned to the stage holding the trophy.

Chapter 176 Decision

The second award is for Horse of the Year.

Even Zep, the most optimistic person in the camp, did not expect Mejiro Sakuya to win the award.

Placing the Moment of the Year trophy on the stage, Kitano opened the panel.

Although the exchange of a lower-rank amulet for a higher-rank amulet is limited to the fourth week of January, the exchange of a higher-rank amulet for a lower-rank amulet can be done at any time.

One gold amulet can be exchanged for two hundred green amulets.

Although 10 million yen is not a small amount, the more important thing now is the green amulet.

He clicked redeem.

Then, I immediately acquired the props for the [Advisory Group].

The target of the use is naturally Mejiro Sakuya.

The target event is the Dubai World Cup.

"This is the Moment of the Year Award—"

The Xuhe siblings stared at the round medal sealed in the crystal monument for a long time.

Hetian whispered to Huangshan about the knowledge of horse trainers.

Zep was lowering his head, occasionally tapping the glowing screen.

After a while, the phone, which was set to silent mode, began to vibrate.

Kitano looked at the screen and saw the same three reassuring consultants.

I clicked on the message sent by Changfeng, and it was a slightly long text.

Changfeng:

The mature horse's body makes an undisguised and loud declaration of "Who else but me?"

His abundant stamina and powerful instantaneous power were perfectly reflected in his body. His massive frame, weighing over 500 kilograms, stood out even in a mixed match.

Mental instability may become a hidden danger in the game.

Despite being in good form, he still needs to give his all to win this world-class competition.

From the perspective of horse owners and ranch businesses, this will be a race worth trying.

Recommended rider: Lian Dawen (foreign)

Judging from the literal meaning, the favorable points occupy the majority, and it is even obvious that people are optimistic about Mejiro Sakuya's performance in DWC.

However, Kitano still kept his focus on the mental instability for a long time.

It wasn't that pessimism took over his mind at this moment; he was just used to thinking about things calmly.

He carefully noted down the deficiencies raised by consultant Changfeng and moved on to the next consultant without changing his expression.

[Kappa wood:

As the horse ages, veins begin to appear on the knees, neck, and coat, and the gradient of color begins to reflect the demeanor of a mature racehorse.

The muscles of the shoulders, chest, legs and neck are all effectively exercised, but be aware that excessive exercise may result in impaired range and decreased flexibility.

There is still room for reducing the weight on the stomach, but if you aim for a competition of this level, you cannot be careless about any details.

With his exceptional speed and decent burst of power as weapons, he can expect good results on the big stage of the Dubai World Cup.

This competition may give us the opportunity to witness the true strength of this current top dirt track racehorse.

Recommended rider: Jin Meiqi (outside)

Do I still need to control my weight?

Just like before, Kitano paid more attention to the relatively unfavorable aspects of the evaluation.

Additionally, overtraining can cause a racehorse to become sized for the sprint or mile—

Kitano himself has heard this statement from more than one trainer.

For dirt track racing, muscle is particularly important.

But the principle that too much is as bad as too little also applies to horse racing.

Huangshan, the horse trainer, seems to be considering adjusting the focus of his training recently.

Although he dare not say that Mejiro Sakuya has entered her mature stage, Arashiyama gradually began to view her as a mature racehorse after the Tokyo Grand Prix.

Intensive training will be reduced, while the content of physical recovery and condition maintenance will be increased.

"Master Huangshan is indeed very perceptive."

With such emotion, I looked at the last unread message.

[Meixiang:

The fur is shiny and glossy, as shiny as freshly baked brown sugar rice cakes.

Although she has a large horse body, her lines are clean and neat, and her skin is just the right amount of tightness and thinness.

The triceps are strong and full, the muscles of the hind legs are clearly textured, the blood vessels on the chest and calves are clearly visible, and the competitive state is full of energy.

The horse is docile and calm, and although a little slow, it is by no means difficult to control.

In the slower-paced US-Denmark arena, perhaps a bold forward positioning would be more suitable for displaying its strength.

If the goal is to compete in the world's top events, the balance between man and horse may become the decisive factor.

Therefore, please make a decision on the vacant main rider position as soon as possible.

Recommended rider: Su Minglun (foreign)

The phone's screen gradually went out, but Kitano's face still maintained a thoughtful expression.

After using it several times, he gradually figured out some rules of the [Advisory Group].

The rider recommended by Changfeng seems to have both strength and compatibility.

On the side of Kappa Wood, it seems that the weight of compatibility will be greater.

As for Meixiang, the riders recommended by this consultant seem to have a greater degree of strength.

"Compatibility is more important after all."

Gradually, clear answers emerged regarding the riders' considerations.

In addition, judging from the comments of the three consultants, the Dubai World Cup seems to be a good second choice for Mejiro Sakuya.

What about the Saudi Cup?

While I still had plenty of amulets left, I exchanged them for another [Advisory Group] item.

After a moment, the phone vibrated again.

“Here are the three finalists for the U.S. Champion Three-Year-Old Filly.”

At this moment, the voice of the female host came to my ears.

Several people, including Hetian and Huangshan, raised their heads and looked at the screen.

As for Kitano——

He was still swiping his phone intently.

"Sure enough, running on a grassy field isn't very smooth."

He sighed and put down his phone.

In higher-level competitions, the venue factor is suddenly magnified a lot.

So much so that the three members of the advisory group all believed that the Saudi Cup at the King Abdulaziz Stadium could turn into a tough battle no less than the DWC.

"Is it worth a try—"

Kitano recalled Nagamine's comments on the Dubai World Cup.

And considerations beyond the competitive aspect.

At this moment, the award presenter on the stage just opened the letter containing the winner's name.

“The champion three-year-old filly has had a strong season, winning a mix of Grade 1 races at Churchill Downs and Big Well.”

The old lady in the burgundy dress turned her head and smiled friendly at Kitano and his table.

"The 2026 U.S. Champion Three-Year-Old Filly, Sakuya Mejiro from Japan."

Cheers and screams exploded in his ears, and Kitano and the trainer beside him simply hugged each other to celebrate.

He stepped onto the stage again, thanked his few collaborators, and then raised his head and said, "This is what you hope to see in a competition. Everyone in the team can unite and work towards the same goal."

"And then, win the game."

When leaving the stage, Kitano noticed that Yue Boren, who was sitting in the first row, seemed to be in a bad mood.

The Irish horse trainer cut the steak on his plate in anger.

After the dinner, after returning to the hotel, Kitano stopped Huangshan who was about to go back to his room to rest.

"Please send the invitations to Lian Dawen, Jin Meiqi, and Su Minglun."

Hearing this, Huangshan seemed startled.

"Hey! Have you decided yet?"

Lian Dawen, Jin Meiqi, Su Minglun——

This order is really indescribably subtle.

But he quickly nodded again.

"Then leave the rest to me."

The trainer replied.

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

"[Time report]

Tokyo Grand Prix winner Sakuya Mejiro sets sights on Dubai World Cup

Huang Shanshi "is in good shape, worth a try"

The saddle is undecided"

——《n○tkeiba》

"Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum will personally present the winner of the 2027 Dubai World Cup with an additional prize of US$305 million and a solid gold horse statue worth US$17."

——Dubai World Cup

Chapter 177 The End of the Lunar New Year

On the last Friday of the New Year, Chiba was still in the depths of winter.

Even with a thick coat, the cold still penetrated my bones mercilessly.

The female rider pursed her lips and greeted the horse owner before getting close.

Two months after the original main rider Wada retired, the camp chose a new partner for Mejiro Sakuya - 35-year-old British female rider Kim Mi-kye.

This decision came as a surprise to many people.

However, Kim Maggie was not actually the camp's first choice.

When Huangshan sent the riding commission to the preferred rider Lian Dawen, he received a rejection.

The agent persuaded him to give up the commission for "reasons beyond horse racing".

Although they were a little disappointed, Kitano and Huangshan immediately contacted Jin Meiqi, who was on a short-term exemption period, after discussion.