The Autumn G1 season had begun to take on a special significance. One could argue this shift was entirely due to Mejiro Rampage, who had dominated nearly every one of them to claim victory. As the Queen Elizabeth II Cup approached, the air felt charged with a different kind of electricity. This year's race was different; a powerhouse from overseas had officially declared her entry.
It was Silverstone.
A world-class competitor who had fought a legendary battle in the Japan Cup—finishing a hair's breadth, a mere two centimeters, behind Teio and Turbo—and had gone toe-to-toe with Rampage herself in the Irish Champion Stakes. The URA couldn't hide their shock that she had chosen the Queen Elizabeth II Cup for her "invasion" instead of the Japan Cup. For years, the notion of international competition in any race other than the Japan Cup had been nothing more than a hollow formality.
"Finally, the 'International' label actually means something. Before this, you only really saw it matter in the Champions Cup," I muttered.
Beside me, Minamisaka nodded in agreement. We were sitting together for the first time in a while, sifting through data on the laptop. He had asked to review the files on Silverstone, so I was currently compiling them—though, in her case, I doubted any "special" tactics would actually work, even if we prepared them.
"Her stride, her physicality, her tactical mind... they're all so similar to mine that she's basically my mirror image," I explained. "That means any strategy used to counter me is, by default, the best way to counter her."
"I suspected as much," Minamisaka replied. "In that case, it's better to let Turbo-san and Ikuno-san run their own races rather than burdening them with clumsy new tactics."
It felt strange to dictate my own weakness, but it was the truth: the best way to beat Rampage was a direct, honest contest of strength. If an opponent tried to stick close to disrupt my pace, they'd only exhaust themselves against my Oonige—the great lead. If they tried to pressure me with debuffs, I'd just turn that pressure back on them. The optimal solution was to preserve as much stamina as possible while maintaining a good position until the final straight, then give it everything. It was the same strategy Lady and Dyna had used in the BC Classic.
"If we're following that logic..." I started.
""Business as usual is best,"" we said in unison.
The words left our lips at the exact same moment. Turbo could hold her own with her signature "Explosive Turbo" style, and Ikuno had the experience and results from fighting me constantly. If they just leaned into the strength they had already proven, I knew they could make it a real fight.
"Silverstone will likely just give it her all... and we just have to do the same. Turbo, Ikuno, and me."
"Indeed. In that case, the real highlight will be…"
"The Japan Cup. Who's confirmed for that?"
"Rice-san, Tannhauser-san, Nature-san, and Ticket-san," Minamisaka listed.
"I've always heard that a three-week turnaround is brutal, but is it just me, or is the number of girls running that rotation increasing?"
"Yes," Minamisaka said, a dry smile touching his lips. "Mostly because of your influence."
I went quiet. I couldn't exactly argue with that, especially since my own rotation had been even tighter.
"Well, El should be able to handle it. She's more adaptable than most."
"Agreed. She is easier to manage in that regard."
As we talked, a notification chimed on my phone. I glanced at the news alert flashing on the screen and felt a grin spread across my face. I stood up, unable to contain the surge of triumph.
"Heh… Heh heh! I knew it! She did it!"
I paused my work on the laptop and enlarged the news bulletin. Minamisaka leaned in to look, and a moment later, he was laughing right along with me. It was news worth celebrating—a wave of pure, unadulterated joy.
The headline said it all.
"You did it… You're a magnificent horse girl, Palmer!"
"Truly magnificent," Minamisaka echoed.
"They're rounding the final turn! Mejiro Palmer is in the lead! But here comes the pack—Brocante Clock is fighting back! Brocante Clock takes the lead! Is Palmer fading? The lead has swung completely to Brocante Clock—no! Wait! Mejiro Palmer is finding another gear! She's surging back! The duel isn't over! Who will take it? Brocante Clock or Mejiro Palmer? It's Palmer! Mejiro Palmer has reclaimed the lead! She's half a length ahead! Can she hold? She's holding! Brocante Clock gives one last desperate push! Mejiro Palmer! MEJIRO PALMER CROSSES THE LINE FIRST!
Mejiro Palmer has conquered the Melbourne Cup! The Great Lead of the Mejiros has done it again—two consecutive overseas G1 victories! What a display of pure power! Mejiro Palmer has carved her name into the world stage!"
The Melbourne Cup. The second leg of Palmer's overseas campaign and a race of such national importance that it stops all of Australia. As one of the world's premier long-distance races, winning it is the highest honor a stayer can achieve.
Though, for Palmer, the prestige probably didn't matter. For her, this race was the ultimate goal she had set with her trainer—her "perfect finish."
"No one can call her Goodwood Cup win a fluke anymore," I said.
"She beat a field of genuine titans. Anyone calling that a fluke now would be laughed out of the room," Minamisaka added.
Palmer, who had once been dismissed as "unworthy" of the Mejiro Big Four, had achieved something even Ryan and McQueen hadn't. Two consecutive overseas G1s. There were likely people out there now arguing that Palmer was the new ace of the Mejiro family.
"Minami-chan."
"Yes?"
"I'm starting to get excited about the idea of Turbo taking on the world now."
"What a coincidence. So am I. Perhaps we should ask Rampage-san to accompany her as a mentor?"
"Only if you're willing to help Ue-chan with the paperwork," I joked.
Still laughing, I looked back at the photo of Palmer dominating the front page. She was being carried in a celebratory "princess carry" by Trainer Yamada, her face a messy blur of heavy tears and the widest, brightest smile I'd ever seen. She looked so incredibly happy that I couldn't help but feel the same.
[Character File: Mejiro Tsukuyomi]
The first-born foal of Mejiro Rampage—the younger brother of the twins. His sire is Mejiro Ryan. He was named Tsukuyomi to complement his sister, Amaterasu; his coat was a beautiful, glossy dark bay that reminded his owners of the moon.
Like Amaterasu, he won his debut and moved up the ranks smoothly, but a crushing 7th-place finish in the Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes left him traumatized. The shock was so great that he lost his appetite, and his weight plummeted by over 15kg. He was sent to a farm to recover, spending time with his mother, Rampage, to reset his spirit.
He returned for the Yayoi Sho weighing 27kg more than his last race. Despite being the 4th favorite, he unleashed a furious run to claim his first graded win. From there, he rode that momentum to sweep the Triple Crown. Befitting his name, he earned the epithet: "The Moonlight Deity."
His jockey, Yutaka Take, described him as a fiercely proud competitor. If he lost, he would become obsessed with winning the next time, often glaring at the rivals who beat him. While he had a habit of starting late, the jockey noted this was because Tsukuyomi was carefully observing the other horses, sizing up exactly what kind of opponents he was dealing with.
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