Hokkaido Horse Racing Story

In addition to the prepared ice packs, you also need to find ways to prepare other heatstroke prevention measures.

Thinking this, I took a step forward.

Then, the morning work began.

The negotiation process with local horse racing welfare officials can be described as a long tug-of-war.

Even if all the formalities are complete, the other party will still cause a lot of trouble.

It was not until 11 o'clock, almost an hour later than expected, that Kitano arrived at the reception stable at the meeting point.

While humming a little tune, Ogawa Masaru bent down and braided Mejiro Sakuya's hair with a pink ribbon.

The huge deer-haired horse stood still obediently, allowing the young man to play with the hair on its neck.

Zep was kneeling on the ground with his butt sticking up, repeatedly measuring something on the horse's hooves with an instrument he couldn't name.

Standing far away outside the stable, Kitano did not go forward to disturb the two of them.

Trainers and stable boys from JRA also rushed to the stables one after another.

The empty stables, which were originally a mixture of Japanese and English, were gradually filled with the sound of Japanese.

On the day of the Saudi Cup, there were a total of 19 runners from Japan.

JRA18 head, NAR1 head.

"Finish!"

After tying the last bunch of mane into a bow, Ogawa Masaru stood up and clapped his hands in satisfaction.

"I have no problem here either!"

After checking the horseshoe's condition for the last time, the German farrier made an "OK" gesture.

After packing up their tools, the two walked out of the stable.

At this moment, a local stable boy passing by stopped.

After checking the pass hanging on Zep's chest for a few seconds, the local stable boy said something in English with an Arabic accent.

"It's best to change into formal attire. Is it okay if you don't?"

Zep looked down at his short-sleeved shirt and shorts, scratched his head and asked.

"Try to dress formally. Okay, okay, I get it."

After the stable boy left, the German hoof trimmer said in Japanese with a frustrated look on his face, "What a nosy Arab!"

Chapter 100 An unexpected encounter with the ideal

"Wada Dragon No. 2, set off now——"

With his mouth curled into an exaggerated arc, he said goodbye to the other Japanese riders in a loud and noisy manner.

Before leaving, Taketoshi, his senior, suddenly came over.

The expression on his face was so serious that it was a little scary.

"In the Middle East, the penalty for excessive whipping is in dollars."

What——

I thought he was going to talk about his riding experience or something like that.

It’s still the same as always, Senior Taketoshi.

He waved his arms amidst the laughter.

Then, he turned and trotted towards the preparation room.

At the end of the sight, a touch of fiery red spreads across the azure sky.

The shadow of the Daven rider in front was infinitely stretched, touching the toes of Hetian.

Some dazzling lights came on, and the wind blowing across my cheeks was mixed with a stuffy breath.

The protective support layer was replaced in the preparation room.

Then there was the winning suit that had not been opened in the plastic bag.

The white and green Ippon of the Mejiro family.

The green part is a darker color in my impression, and has a slightly fluorescent texture.

When I touched it, I felt a silky feedback from my fingertips.

It can't really be satin, right?

Thinking of this, he zipped up his winning suit.

A familiar tight feeling came from my chest.

The feeling of belonging to the game.

For a rider who has not had a proper riding opportunity for several months, such an opportunity is really rare.

On the other side, rider Lian Dawen, who also represented Japan, also completed his outfit change.

The winning suit with yellow and black stripes.

It is the Taoyuan teahouse of the Nishikawa family.

The information about the opponent had been repeated countless times in my mind a long time ago.

Ride with victory as your goal, even when facing powerful enemies from all over the world.

Then you must put in a corresponding level of effort.

The conditions of the King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Saudi Arabia are relatively stable most of the time, which is different from domestic racecourses.

In other words, the element of luck is weakened.

This turned into a no-holds-barred showdown.

But as long as it feels the same as during training, there should be a good chance.

Although it may sound a bit arrogant, this is the true thought of everyone in the camp, including Hotan.

Even after fully understanding the opponent's true level, this idea remained unchanged.

His initial suspicion has turned into gratitude towards the owner of the Kitano horse who asked him to ride the horse.

Even with many difficulties, he still found ways to provide support to the camp.

"If you don't try your best, you can't repay the trust you place in me."

With this awareness, I entered the enclosure.

Although I am no longer at the age where I feel anxious about the game, my heart still inevitably beats faster while waiting in the backfield.

The venue staff said something at the door.

The next moment, people in colorful clothes stood up one after another.

"Let's go, Wada Rider."

Received a reminder from the Lian Dawen rider.

Before leaving the preparation room, the two riders representing Japan bumped fists with each other.

"come on."

The scene on the reviewing ground is also quite different from that in China.

The training assistants all wear bibs corresponding to their gate positions, so they can be quickly distinguished even in a crowd.

It really helped a lot.

Then, he caught sight of a figure on the reviewing track who was clearly more than a head taller than the others.

Hetian's calm face was slightly stunned.

"They registered me as a training assistant."

Zep explained with a wry face as he pretended to hold the leash.

"That's really hard on you."

Retracting his strange look, Hetian looked at the genuine stable attendant on the other side.

"Sakuya had been conserving her strength well until the moment she was saddled."

Patting Mejiro Sakuya's head, Ogawa Masaru said happily.

"Leave it to me next."

Having said this, he climbed onto the horse's back.

It's the same generous and stable feeling as during training.

The originally rapid heartbeat gradually returned to normal with the bumps on the horse's back.

Most of the time, it is like the dull horse in conventional cognition, and you have to put in a lot of effort to get feedback.

However, Mejiro Sakuya is not a horse that would cause trouble to its rider.

Although I was a little surprised when I first heard the title "Miss".

"I'm counting on you today too, Sakuya."

Amid the sound of shutter clicks, the final tactical rehearsal began in my mind.

Its bow-decorated mane swayed up and down, and the deer-hair horse gazed calmly at the road ahead.

The combination of man and horse came to this racecourse in this way.

At Ogawa Katsu's reminder, Zepu handed the leash to the guide wearing a green vest.

When the broadcast mentioned Mejiro Sakuya, a uniform call of "Mejiro" came from the stands and the railings at the front of the track.

In addition to the expedition group, many members of the enthusiasts association known as the "Mejiro Club" also went on an expedition to Saudi Arabia.

Although it was only ranked sixth in popularity before the game, its momentum alone was not inferior to the favorite Happy Time.

Amid the boiling voices of the crowd, Mejiro Sakuya walked steadily into the gate.

The palm holding the reins tightened slightly, and Hetian pursed his slightly cracked lips.

A few somewhat uneasy neighing sounds came from the nearby gate.

Mejiro Sakuya stood there like a dark stone monument, not seeming to be disturbed at all by the outside world.

"She is such a calm young lady."

Even good opera can occasionally be restless at three years old.

Mejiro Sakuya, who has just entered her classic year, acts like a complete veteran.

"That's a really great cheer—"

After returning to the front of the railing and reuniting with the camp, Xuhe Sheng cast his eyes towards the location of the gate.

"Yeah, it's like it came right up from behind!"

The German hoof trimmer also nodded, struggling to adjust the bib number which was a bit too small.

It is said that horses that appear to be in good shape often perform well in official races.

However, this statement doesn't seem to work for Mejiro Sakuya.

So far, the results have been positive, and we are running at a steady pace that seems a bit negative.

It is really difficult to judge whether the momentum is good or bad with the naked eye.

The eleven escaped horses entered the gate one after another.

The heat outside the body gradually gathered on the face.

The expedition members waiting at the finish line opened their phones one after another.

"The popular and popular Happy Hour has also entered the gate smoothly."

"The first Saudi Derby for three-year-olds is about to begin. It's 1,600 meters on the dirt track, and only eleven have run this year."

"After Mr. Caesar withdrew from the competition, there were only two teams from Japan participating: Togen Tea House and Mejiro Sakuya."