Chapter 26. Jockey Change for the Oaks
In the Dream World, Shuta An arrived on schedule at a family restaurant outside the Ritto Training Center. The moment he stepped inside, he immediately spotted the aging Yoshida Zenya seated together with his two sons. His third son, Yoshida Haruya, was currently in Hokkaido managing ranch affairs and had not come.
"Thank you for coming all this way, Mr. Yoshida. I truly apologize." Shuta An spoke softly as he took his seat opposite them. "The result of the Oka Sho was disappointing—for everyone, including the members of the Shadai Race Horse Club. Nishino Flower is simply too strong at the mile distance. I could only do my best to secure second place."
"You've already done well to take second, Shuta-kun," Yoshida Zenya replied with a gentle smile. "If we didn't win, it's because Shadai Farm failed to produce a stronger racehorse this generation. That responsibility lies with us—not with you."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"Once Sunday Silence's offspring begin racing, they will definitely meet your expectations."
At this point, the first batch of Sunday Silence's progeny had already been born. Although the oldest were only a few months old, the ranch staff responsible for raising them had given consistently positive evaluations. That alone had been enough to steadily strengthen Yoshida Zenya's confidence.
"And what about Oguri Cap's offspring?" Shuta An asked.
"They're doing well too—very lively foals," Yoshida Zenya answered without hesitation.
Even so, Shuta An understood immediately.
Compared to Sunday Silence's line, Oguri Cap's breeding potential was still somewhat lacking.
Realizing this, his mood inevitably sank a little.
Sensing the shift in the Young man's expression, Yoshida Zenya smoothly changed the subject.
"I invited you here today for another matter."
"Please, go ahead." Shuta An straightened slightly, bowing his head.
"Although she finished second in the Oka Sho, the ranch veterinarian has examined her and determined that she likely won't recover in time for the Japanese Oaks."
Just like before the Satsuki Sho, Shuta An was about to lose another partner.
But this time—
There was a replacement.
"Adorable, who finished third in the Oka Sho," Yoshida Zenya continued. "She was bred by Shadai Farm, and her owner has a close relationship with us. This invitation also comes from their side."
He looked directly at Shuta An.
"With Disco Hall unable to run, this is the best option we can provide."
"Understood." Shuta An nodded without hesitation. "I'll take the ride for the Japanese Oaks."
Previously, he had chosen his own mount for the Satsuki Sho. Accepting this arrangement now was only natural.
"Then I'll be counting on you," Yoshida Zenya said with a satisfied nod. "Good luck in the Satsuki Sho."
"Mihono Bourbon probably won't lose," Shuta An replied with a small shrug. "So I'll aim for another second place."
—
Early the next morning, when Shuta An woke up, Silence Suzuka was already gone from the guest room, having headed downstairs for her morning exercise.
He glanced at the clock. According to the training schedule he had set, she had likely left over half an hour ago.
"There's still time."
Turning over slightly, he pulled the blanket up.
"Morning training won't finish for another twenty minutes… might as well rest a bit longer."
His voice was muffled as he muttered to himself.
"Even though I rushed to Hong Kong to prepare with her, most of the important work starts next week. This week isn't too busy."
After a short nap, he finally got up.
Changing into casual clothes, Shuta An moved to the living room, set up his computer, and sat down at the table to begin collecting race footage of potential opponents.
There were many races named "Queen Elizabeth Cup" across the Twinkle Series worldwide, but this one in Hong Kong had only recently been upgraded to G1. Among the entries, aside from Silence Suzuka, all the competitors were local Hong Kong Uma Musume.
To be honest, the Hong Kong URA Association was quite grateful for Suzuka's participation. Without her presence, whether the race had been upgraded or not would have felt like little more than a change in name.
After all, the prize money—converted into yen—reached approximately 250 million, nearly double that of the Takarazuka Kinen's 130 million. From a financial perspective alone, the choice was obvious.
However, for Japanese Uma Musume, things were not so simple.
Although the successful overseas campaigns of Team Sadalsuud and Team Rigil had once sparked a surge in international participation, many who followed soon encountered harsh setbacks abroad. As a result, enthusiasm for overseas expeditions had cooled significantly.
"Speaking of which—" Shuta An paused slightly. "there's something I should be doing this week."
He leaned back in his chair.
"Since I don't have much work, I should start writing that book I promised."
Muttering to himself, he opened a new document.
"I'll begin with the autobiography section."
While many chose to hire ghostwriters, Shuta An intended to write it himself. That way, he could decide exactly what to reveal—and what to keep hidden.
—
With her training intensity recently adjusted, Silence Suzuka's workload was no longer particularly demanding. Even after completing her daily sessions, she still had the energy to stroll around the Sha Tin area.
For local reporters, this was a goldmine.
They frequently stationed themselves nearby, snapping photos of her in various shops and casually assembling articles with a few embellished lines.
Shuta An quickly noticed this pattern.
Because of that, he deliberately avoided staying too close to Silence Suzuka in public.
"Good thing Grace handled the hotel arrangements," he muttered. "Otherwise, they'd definitely try to dig up where we're staying."
His vigilance toward the media remained high.
Before his patience could wear thin, however, the Hong Kong URA Association stepped in, issuing a request for reporters to maintain proper boundaries. After all, Silence Suzuka was the first overseas Uma Musume to participate in a Hong Kong Twinkle Series race that year. The association intended to showcase her as a key promotional figure, hoping to attract more international participants beyond the Hong Kong International Races.
To further that goal, on Shuta An's third day in Hong Kong, the association sent two invitations.
One was for an exclusive interview with Shuta An.
The other invited Silence Suzuka to film a promotional video for the Queen Elizabeth II Cup (Hong Kong).
Each would only require a single day.
Shuta An agreed to both without hesitation.
"That works out well," he said casually. "Suzuka doesn't need to train on the filming day anyway."
As for compensation—
He didn't even bring it up. Since it was a race promotion, payment didn't matter.
As long as no one else was being paid either.
The interview program that Shuta An agreed to appear on belonged to Phoenix Television, a station that had only been established the previous year. Before entering the studio, he was handed a list of questions, and the production team even offered to let him remove any that might be difficult to answer.
However, after giving them a quick glance, the Young man found nothing particularly troublesome. After briefly considering how he would respond, he returned the list without crossing out a single item. That alone surprised the production team—after all, it was rare to encounter an interviewee who didn't insist on filtering questions beforehand.
"Is this going to be live or pre-recorded?" he asked after entering the makeup room.
"It's live," a staff member from Phoenix Television replied. "Would you like to review the questions again?"
"No need," Shuta An waved it off casually. "If it's live, I'll just think a bit before answering."
The questions prepared in advance were, in his opinion, far easier to deal with than what certain reporters tended to throw at him.
After entering the studio, Shuta An took his seat on the sofa and gave a slight bow.
The production team had originally arranged a translator for him, but he refused it outright.
"I can speak Chinese," he said plainly. "Why would I need a translator?"
"Oh!"
The staff were visibly startled. Given his background, they had assumed otherwise. But his clear and standard pronunciation quickly proved that he was more than fluent—
In the end, only the host and Shuta An appeared on camera.
—
"We're honored to have Trainer Shuta with us today," the host said with a smile. "Before we begin, could you give our audience a brief introduction?"
"Hello to everyone watching," Shuta An said calmly, looking directly into the camera. "I'm Trainer Shuta An from Japan's Central Tracen Academy. This year, I've brought my Uma Musume, Silence Suzuka, to compete in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup (Hong Kong), which has been upgraded to a G1 race."
He paused slightly.
"I hope we can achieve a satisfying result here."
"That was quite concise," the host chuckled awkwardly. "But I believe viewers who follow overseas Twinkle Series races are already very familiar with your name. After all, you've won the French Two Crowns, achieved two victories in the Breeders' Cup, and trained the renowned Japanese Uma Musume, Oguri Cap."
The conversation continued smoothly.
Since none of the questions strayed beyond Uma Musume or the Twinkle Series, Shuta An barely needed time to consider his responses, even while keeping the audience's perspective in mind.
"At the beginning of this year, Oriental Express—who had been Hong Kong Horse of the Year for two consecutive years—announced her retirement," the host continued. "She was also once an opponent of Silence Suzuka. What are your thoughts on this, Mr. Shuta?"
"Miss Oriental Express was incredibly strong on the track, and also very kind off it," Shuta An replied. "Two years ago, when Suzuka and I first came to Hong Kong, we weren't familiar with the area and couldn't find the place we were looking for. We happened to meet her, and she personally guided us there."
He gave a faint smile.
"She's someone with a very warm heart, and I'm truly grateful to her. Of course… it would've been even better if she'd shown a bit more mercy during the Hong Kong International Cup that year."
At the end, he shrugged lightly.
"It's a pity we won't get another chance to race against her in this Queen Elizabeth II Cup. Otherwise, both Suzuka and I would've liked to show her how much we've improved."
—
Sitting in front of the television, Oriental Express shook her head.
"That doesn't make sense."
"I've been running in the Twinkle Series for years. It's only natural to retire and enjoy life now. Why would I keep waiting around for the two of you to come back for revenge?"
—
The final question of the program returned to Silence Suzuka.
"After this Queen Elizabeth II Cup, how do you plan her future?" the host asked.
"How she plans her future should ultimately be her own decision," Shuta An tilted his head slightly. "As her Trainer, I can only offer suggestions."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"But if you're asking about the next race in the Twinkle Series, my current plan is to have her challenge the British International Stakes. Before that, however, she'll need to return to Japan—her first solo single is about to be released, and she'll need to take part in promotional activities."
"I see," the host immediately picked up on the cue. "What kind of song is it?"
"It's a piece that perfectly matches Suzuka's temperament," Shuta An replied. "She likes it very much herself, and we're grateful to Yoshiki for creating it. I believe it won't disappoint anyone."
—
After the live broadcast concluded, Shuta An took the car arranged by Phoenix Television back to the hotel.
Silence Suzuka had already returned earlier.
"How did filming go today?" he asked, sitting down on the sofa. Stretching slightly, he accepted the herbal tea she handed him, pausing before taking a sip.
Seated across from him, Silence Suzuka was gently tidying her damp hair. Having returned earlier, she had already taken a shower, though the tips of her hair were still slightly wet.
After organizing her thoughts, she began recounting the day.
Besides herself, only one other Uma Musume had participated in filming the promotional video—Industrialist. Having won the G1 New Zealand Stakes earlier that March, many believed she would succeed Oriental Express as the next "local general."
(QE 2 HK, since Oriental Express already retired it can be concluded that this is the year 2000. Since in 1999 Oriental Express still fighting for his second QE 2 HK but ultimately lost to Jim And Tonic.)
"Miss Industrialist was very kind," Silence Suzuka said, clearly pleased. "She even recommended some restaurants she discovered here in Hong Kong, and told me a few things to watch out for when racing in the Southern Hemisphere."
Shuta An listened quietly, nodding occasionally.
After a brief pause, Silence Suzuka lifted her gaze and met his eyes.
"I've decided something."
Her voice was calm, but carried quiet resolve.
"After the International Stakes, I want to head directly to the Southern Hemisphere. I'd like to see what spring looks like there."
"No problem."
For Shuta An, the cost was no longer something worth considering.
"I'll arrange accommodations and everything else. I'll also make sure you have enough funds for about two months."
He spoke naturally, without hesitation.After all, he wouldn't be able to accompany her on that trip.
This year was Mejiro Dober's Classic season. As her Trainer, his focus would inevitably shift back to preparing for the Shuka Sho.
No matter how the Japanese Oaks turned out—the Shuka Sho still demanded full preparation.
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