Chapter 23. A Long-Awaited Encounter on the Eve of the Satsuki Sho [Part 1]
After winning the G1 Sydney Cup over 3200 meters on turf aboard Azzaam, Shuta An briefly accepted a media interview.
"Mr. Shuta has already won four races today, and in the upcoming Queen Elizabeth Stakes, you'll partner the heavily favored Tokai Teio. How are you feeling right now?"
"Tokai Teio and I will win." Shuta An answered without hesitation, his tone carrying absolute certainty.
"If you win the Queen Elizabeth Stakes as well, that would make five victories in a single day — a new record for this season's race meetings. If you really achieve that, will you regret not pushing harder in the two races you lost earlier?"
"There are some regrets, I suppose." The young man paused briefly before continuing, "But I won't dwell on races that are already over. People have to keep moving forward."
After leaving the media area, Shuta An returned to the jockey waiting room. Yet in the short distance of less than a hundred meters, he was stopped repeatedly by Trainers from Australia and New Zealand extending invitations and goodwill.
However, the young man declined every single offer.
After all, remaining a jockey in Japan was still the most profitable choice for him. More importantly, the support backing him in Japan did not come from merely one or two Trainers. Behind him stood Japan's largest racehorse production group, alongside numerous Horse Owners who had benefited from his rides. That level of support gave Shuta An no reason to leave Japan.
Not to mention, his true battlefield in the real world also remained in Japan. If he suddenly shifted his center of activity overseas within the Dream World, who knew what kind of strange influence it might produce.
"Mr. Shuta is truly popular." Cassidy greeted him with a smile from his seat after Shuta An stepped into the waiting room. "I recognized quite a few Trainers who came over to speak with you."
"Just happened to get lucky today." Shuta An shook his head lightly. "They all want me to become the principal jockey of a stable, but for me, staying in Japan is still the best option."
Hearing that answer, Cassidy quietly relaxed inside.
The jockey scene in Australia and New Zealand was already fiercely competitive. Judging solely from today's performances, Cassidy had no doubt that if Shuta An truly transferred here, this Asian jockey would rapidly become the kind of terrifying existence capable of suffocating his peers under overwhelming pressure.
Now that Shuta An had made his intentions clear, Cassidy's expression softened considerably.
"Then good luck in the next race, Mr. Shuta. I don't have any mounts afterward, so I'll be cheering for you from the stands."
"I won't lose."
Shuta An turned his head toward Cassidy.
"Only in this race… from the moment I woke up this morning, I was certain I would win."
Cassidy's pupils contracted slightly.
The confidence contained within those words was almost overflowing.
Tokai Teio's performance in the Prix Ganay had indeed been extraordinary. But for Shuta An to display such unwavering certainty over that alone—
Could it really be that Tokai Teio had improved to such an extent?
As for Tokai Teio's victory in last year's Japan Cup, although she defeated numerous elite European racehorses, neither Europe, America, nor the Southern Hemisphere had truly regarded that result too seriously. After all, Japan Cup had been Tokai Teio's home turf.
To truly verify her value, one still had to examine her overseas performances.
Before the Queen Elizabeth Stakes results were revealed today, the racing world's evaluation of Tokai Teio still rested primarily upon her Prix Ganay showing.
Soon afterward, Shuta An left the waiting room under the staff's reminder and headed toward the preparation area to meet Tokai Teio.
As Tokai Teio's Groom, Higashi Ikuo had naturally arrived in Australia alongside her long before race day. Compared to Japan's damp spring climate, Sydney's winter air suited him far more comfortably, even making his work efficiency noticeably better.
The moment Tokai Teio entered his field of vision, Shuta An unconsciously nodded.
Her coat gleamed brilliantly beneath the lights. Her neck remained proudly raised, filled with spirit. Her gait was stable, her limbs carried no trace of stiffness, and the lines of her muscles appeared almost flawless.
In short, Shuta An could not find a single point worth criticizing in Tokai Teio's condition today.
With Higashi Ikuo assisting him, he mounted Tokai Teio's saddle steadily before smiling faintly.
"Teio's condition today is perfect. The rest depends on me."
"Japan's first Australian G1 victory— Teio's second overseas G1 title—" Higashi Ikuo bowed deeply. "I entrust everything to Shuta-kun."
Shuta An did not answer directly.
Instead, he gently stroked Tokai Teio's hind neck.
"You know… every race Teio wins raises his historical standing another step higher."
His gaze slowly met Higashi Ikuo's.
"And for me to encounter a horse like his again—I may never receive such luck for the rest of my life."
His fingers tightened around the reins and whip.
"So…"
"Please let Trainer Matsumoto, Mr. Uchimura, the stable staff, and all of Tokai Teio's fans witness it clearly. I will make Tokai Teio win this race beautifully."
—
Meanwhile, back in Japan, night had already fallen over Nakayama Racecourse.
Tokai Teio, scheduled to compete in tomorrow's Satsuki Sho, sat alone inside the lounge.
Because she needed to undergo a drug test the next morning, every participating Uma Musume had already entered the Racecourse lounge in advance, minimizing any possibility of accidental exposure to prohibited substances.
Wrapped beneath her blanket, Tokai Teio still found herself unable to sleep.
Tomorrow's Satsuki Sho occupied her mind completely.
Excitement. Anticipation. Unease.
Those emotions intertwined endlessly within her chest.
In the end, Tokai Teio turned on the television, intending to use the evening news as background noise to lull herself toward sleep.
"On the afternoon of April 16th, Sydney local time, the Undefeated Triple Tiara winner Mejiro Dober claimed an overwhelming victory in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick Racecourse. Following her earlier comeback victory in the Ranvet Stakes, she has now achieved consecutive G1 victories while also establishing a new course record."
"That's amazing…" Tokai Teio murmured softly after watching the short segment.
Then she slowly closed her eyes.
"But before that… I still have to chase the Triple Crown first."
Perhaps the news truly carried a hypnotic effect.
Little by little, Tokai Teio drifted into sleep.
And after an incredibly long absence, she once again entered a vivid lucid dream.
When she opened her eyes again, the scenery surrounding her instantly felt familiar.
"This place—"
Tokai Teio looked around carefully before quickly recognizing it.
"Randwick Racecourse… Queen Elizabeth Stakes race day…"
She lowered her head, confirming that this body was the same one she had possessed during previous lucid dreams.
"Is it because Dober-senpai won the Queen Elizabeth Stakes that my dream ended up here this time?"
Tokai Teio completely overlooked one crucial detail.
She had never once visited Randwick Racecourse in reality.
So how could her dream reproduce the venue with such precision?
Compared to that question, however, something else captured her attention far more strongly.
The man seated atop her saddle was gently rubbing the back of her neck with astonishingly skillful movements.
"It really feels like someone petting a cat—" Tokai Teio could not help thinking.
—
Tokai Teio drew the innermost starting gate — gate 1 — for this Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
To be honest, Shuta An had not been particularly satisfied with this draw at first. In his view, a middle gate would have been the ideal position. However, after carefully studying the opponents drawn in gates 2 and 3, he gradually concluded that gate 1 was still acceptable.
Of course, this absolutely had nothing to do with the fact that only five horses ultimately lined up for this Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
Only four opponents stood alongside Tokai Teio today.
Since her debut, this was the smallest field Tokai Teio had ever faced.
Because they occupied gate 1, Tokai Teio and Shuta An were naturally the first pair to enter the starting gate.
After stepping inside, Tokai Teio remained calm and composed, showing no trace of agitation. Since there was no need to aggressively contest position early, Shuta An likewise had no intention of stimulating him before the start. Instead, he used the opportunity to calmly observe the rivals positioned to his left.
"Gate 2 is Durbridge. Australian Derby winner from two years ago. However, he hasn't won another G1 since then, and last year he only managed second in this Queen Elizabeth Stakes."
"Gate 3 is Weetulta. First time challenging a G1. Previously won a 1600-meter turf G3. His overall ability isn't especially threatening, but I do need to watch out for his fading late and blocking Teio's acceleration path."
"Gate 4 is Veander cross, a New Zealand horse. Since the second half of last year, he's already won five consecutive G1 races across Australia and New Zealand, covering distances from 1400 to 2000 meters."
Shuta An's gaze sharpened slightly.
"To be honest… the reason only five horses remained in this race probably has a lot to do with both him and Tokai Teio."
"Gate 5 is Rough Habit. Also from New Zealand, also a five-time G1 winner. But he's been defeated repeatedly by Veander cross recently, so public expectations toward her are slightly lower."
After completing his assessment, Shuta An slowly withdrew his gaze and tightened his grip on the reins.
At the same moment, Tokai Teio also finished evaluating the field.
"The one in gate four has some ability… but the others don't really feel like opponents."
Her thoughts drifted naturally toward the race shape.
"This is a 2000-meter race, and I'm drawn on the rail… maybe I can just take the lead and control things slowly?"
Ironically, that had been precisely the same idea Shuta An himself had considered earlier.
Then—
"Click!"
The starting gates flew open.
And Tokai Teio's plan vanished instantly.
Perhaps because he still wasn't fully accustomed to Australian starting gates, although his mind reacted immediately, his body lagged behind by a fraction. That tiny delay produced an unmistakably slow break.
However, Shuta An did not panic in the slightest.
Tokai Teio's weak start was already within his expectations.
It did not disrupt his overall strategy at all.
In fact, the young man even felt faintly relieved.
"Good thing I didn't really commit to a front-running plan for Teio—otherwise things would've become troublesome immediately."
In stark contrast, Veander cross exploded from the gates with sharp decisiveness. His jockey, Jim Wallker, instantly chose to seize the lead and take control of the race tempo.
Although Veandercross was not a pure frontrunner by nature, with only five horses in the field, Jim saw no downside in experimenting with pace control from the front.
Meanwhile, Shuta An simply allowed Tokai Teio to settle calmly at the very rear of the pack.
He intended to observe how the race unfolded through the opening bend before deciding whether to let her advance early or continue waiting patiently behind.
Inside the grandstand area, Matsumoto Shoichi unconsciously tightened his grip on the railing.
As the Trainer of the overwhelming race favorite, he had naturally become surrounded by photographers eager to capture every possible reaction from him as the race unfolded.
"The start wasn't ideal… but he's still composed." Uchimura Masanori murmured nervously. "It'll be alright… right, Shuta-kun? At this point, I can only trust you."
Meanwhile, Tokai Teio, galloping quietly at the back of the field, stared steadily at Weetulta's hindquarters ahead of his.
"Good thing this is a 2000-meter race… otherwise that start would've been really awful."
Tomorrow, she would draw gate 18 at Nakayama Racecourse.
Tokai Teio repeatedly reminded herself inwardly—
"I absolutely cannot have a slow break tomorrow afternoon."
"Starting from the outermost gate, if I lose position at the start, recovering will become far too difficult."
The difficulty of a chasing strategy against four opponents and against seventeen opponents existed on completely different levels.
No matter how weak the opposition might be, as long as they occupied the track, they could still become obstacles.
Tokai Teio would never allow her undefeated Triple Crown path to be endangered because of her own mistake.
After entering the straight opposite the grandstand, Shuta An quickly noticed that the four horses ahead had not stretched the field apart significantly. Estimating the distance visually, he judged that Tokai Teio remained roughly six lengths behind Veander cross, while the entire pack continued hugging the rail closely.
"In that case… there's no need for Teio to advance early."
Shuta An calmly analyzed the situation inwardly.
"Veander cross is setting a standard pace. Jim Wallker's pace control is decent, but not exceptional. I can simply wait until the next straight before letting Teio accelerate and pass them."
However, Tokai Teio herself had already reached a different conclusion.
"Compared to staying trapped at the rear… my stamina is more than enough to change pace here."
Without hesitation, she subtly adjusted her stride rhythm on her own initiative, clearly expressing her intention to advance.
Shuta An immediately sensed the change.
And without even a moment of hesitation, he chose to trust her judgment completely.
"If I were riding any other horse, I'd definitely tighten the reins here…"
The young man loosened the reins slightly instead, allowing Tokai Teio to shift outward and create room for acceleration while simultaneously increasing the intensity of his push-riding.
"But Tokai Teio is different."
In the stands, both Matsumoto Shoichi and Uchimura Masanori immediately noticed Tokai Teio's movement.
"He's accelerating here?!" Uchimura Masanori blurted out in shock. "Isn't that far too early?!"
Matsumoto Shoichi remained silent for a brief moment before quietly murmuring to himself—
"Was this Shuta-kun's intention or Tokai Teio's own decision?"
After all, Shuta An had once privately told him something very clearly.
Tokai Teio was an exceptionally intelligent horse.
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