Chapter 29. Dream World's Bold Declaration; Unrivaled Part 1
Rice Shower ultimately secured a tied third-place finish in the Satsuki Sho, trailing Mihono Bourbon by 0.7 seconds.
Iizuka Yoshitsugu, the owner, and Shuta An were all extremely satisfied with the result.
"Isn't this wonderful?" the owner said excitedly to Shuta An. "Before the race, I thought even fifth place would already be excellent, but I didn't expect you to ride him all the way to a tied third. Truly impressive! As expected of a champion jockey!"
After all, the prize difference alone made the result significant—third place earned nearly ten million yen more than fifth, enough to purchase a young horse. It was only natural for the owner to be so overjoyed.
"We've secured the Derby ticket, so I've fulfilled my responsibility," Shuta An replied calmly after dismounting. "Next, we should focus on preparing for the Derby. I suggest letting Rice Shower rest for a while. I pushed him quite hard in the final stretch while trying to contest second place—his fatigue should be fairly noticeable."
"No problem, I'll arrange for him to rest at the ranch," the owner nodded repeatedly.
After all, the Tokai Teio camp had already proven the value of Shuta An's advice. Whether it was the Trainer, stable staff, assistants, or the owner, they had all benefited from his earlier recommendations. Naturally, Iizuka Yoshitsugu and the owner now placed considerable trust in his judgment.
—
During the post-race interviews, many reporters directed their questions toward Mihono Bourbon.
"He's a very strong horse," Shuta An answered plainly. "In this race, he demonstrated a composed and powerful late burst even under a fast pace. I believe the Japanese Derby will not pose much difficulty for him."
The reporters immediately picked up on the implication behind his words.
A journalist from Yushun magazine asked more directly:
"Then does that mean Jockey Shuta is confident of defeating Mihono Bourbon in the Kikuka Sho?"
"Is it because of his pedigree?" another reporter added. "After all, his sire's progeny generally struggle in long-distance races."
"It's partly because of that," Shuta An shrugged slightly. "Rice Shower will defeat Mihono Bourbon in the Kikuka Sho."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"There's still more than half a year until then—but I'm willing to make that statement now."
A quiet murmur spread among the reporters.
For someone of Shuta An's standing, making such a firm declaration—if it failed—could easily become something remembered for years to come.
—
After reading the report, Yutaka Take turned to Fukunaga Yuichi and said without hesitation:
"The Kikuka Sho will definitely be won by Rice Shower."
"Huh?" Fukunaga Yuichi blinked, clearly confused. "You do know how strong Mihono Bourbon is, right?"
"I know," Yutaka Take nodded. "But the Kikuka Sho will still belong to Ann-san and Rice Shower."
He repeated it as if it were a certainty.
—
After waking up from the Dream World, although he had secured third place in the Satsuki Sho, Shuta An noticed that the attribute viewer showed no new rewards. After checking it once, he got up and went to wash up.
Over the next few days, he carefully reviewed footage of his upcoming opponents, analyzing their performances one by one. In the end, he reached a conclusion that even surprised him—
His strongest opponents would be Cruff, Industrialist, and Che Sara Sara.
Cruff was last year's Hong Kong Derby winner.
Che Sara Sara had taken the same title three years prior.
And Industrialist—
Was the most formidable of them all, having already won the Champions & Chater Cup, the final leg of the Hong Kong Triple Crown.
"No Silent Witness," Shuta An murmured. "But the local competition is still strong."
He narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Suzuka can't take this lightly."
—
The Hong Kong URA Association had clearly invested heavily in promotion this time. Although the Queen Elizabeth II Cup (Hong Kong) still didn't carry the same prestige as the year-end international races, its recent upgrade to G1 status—and the participation of a Dubai G1 winner like Silence Suzuka—made it a major focal point.
As the sole overseas contender, Silence Suzuka naturally received a significant share of the promotional spotlight.
"It's been hard to go out lately," she complained softly to her Trainer. "Every time I step outside, someone recognizes me and asks for an autograph—I'm going through a pen every two days. If I want any peace and quiet, staying in the hotel is the only option."
"Didn't you get the same treatment in Tokyo?" Shuta An smiled, reaching out to ruffle her hair. "Being popular isn't a bad thing."
"But I can't go out with Ann anymore…" Silence Suzuka pouted, her voice dropping into a soft murmur.
Because she spoke so quietly, Shuta An didn't quite catch it.
"Anyway," he continued, shifting the topic, "the race is this weekend. With how enthusiastic the Hong Kong fans are, we need to give them a proper performance in return."
"I've already heard about the opponents," Silence Suzuka nodded slightly. "To be honest, they won't really affect my tactics—unless someone suddenly decides to challenge me for the lead."
She smiled faintly.
"But even then, it doesn't matter. I'll show them that a sudden whim can't defeat someone who has studied front-running day and night."
"I believe you can," Shuta An replied.
Part of the reason he had chosen this race was simple—
If they had lost in Hong Kong before—
Then they would win it back here.
—
On Thursday, the gate draw was held.
Silence Suzuka drew gate 10 out of 11 runners.
"Not the best draw," she whispered quietly to Shuta An. "But my luck has been good these past six months. It's only natural for it to even out."
"Fortunately, the other front-runners are all on the inside," Shuta An replied. "As long as you accelerate normally, you can still take the lead. Once that happens, the front group will likely fall into chaos—and your pressure will drop significantly."
If this had been a European G1, he wouldn't have said it so casually. But in Hong Kong, based on past performances and experience, he believed the leading group would focus too much on competing among themselves to properly respond to Silence Suzuka.
"And if they all try to chase you," he added with a shrug, "then their stamina will become the issue."
"That's true," Silence Suzuka nodded in agreement.
On Sunday, Shuta An and Silence Suzuka woke up early. With the race scheduled for today, they had deliberately been resting in separate rooms over the past few days after the gate draw. After a simple breakfast, the Young man accompanied the Uma Musume on foot toward Sha Tin Racecourse.
Upon arriving, Shuta An stood at the entrance of the underground tunnel, watching as Silence Suzuka headed inside toward the waiting room. Only after her figure disappeared completely did he turn and make his way toward the VIP box.
Naturally, he was alone.
The Twinkle Series system in Hong Kong differed significantly from Japan's. Here, race classes were determined by ratings rather than the number of wins, which meant that the URA Association held far greater authority than its Japanese counterpart.
During his stay, Shuta An had taken the time to learn about the local system. Unlike Japan, Trainers in Hong Kong were bound by strict performance requirements—if they failed to achieve a specified number of results in higher-class races within a given period, their licenses would be revoked after three years. Those who wished to continue their careers could only do so elsewhere.
This system forced Trainers to recruit more Uma Musume and push each one to a competitive level. Otherwise, their livelihoods would be directly threatened.
At first glance, Shuta An had thought the idea reasonable.
"Putting pressure on underperforming Trainers isn't necessarily a bad thing—"
But after examining it more closely, he quickly realized the issue.
"If this system were applied directly in Japan…"
His gaze lowered slightly.
"Team Sadalsuud wouldn't even meet the required race count."
With that realization, he abandoned any intention of promoting such a model. Even in the manuscript he was currently drafting, he quietly removed any mention of the American and Hong Kong Trainer systems.
—
After having a quick lunch at the racecourse restaurant, Shuta An returned to the VIP box and rested briefly on the sofa. When he woke up, the parade for the Queen Elizabeth II Cup (Hong Kong) was about to begin.
He stood up immediately and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, his eyes fixed on the exit of the underground tunnel.
Silence Suzuka had drawn gate 10.
That meant she would appear late.
He knew this well.
So he simply waited, silently.
"Come to think of it…"
A stray thought surfaced.
"Suzuka still doesn't have a second race outfit."
His brows furrowed slightly.
"I should talk to the URA Association about that. She can't just keep using the same one—people might start thinking I'm cutting corners on her design budget."
—
At that very moment, far away in the Student Council office, Symboli Rudolf was watching the live broadcast—and thinking along the same lines.
"We really should start planning a new outfit for Silence Suzuka," she muttered with a trace of irritation. "Honestly, we should have done it last year. The URA designers are even lazier than the laziest Uma Musume in the academy."
She turned her head toward Tokai Teio, who was sitting beside her.
"Teio, as Suzuka's junior, what do you think about a swimsuit-themed design?"
"A swimsuit?" Tokai Teio froze for a moment, then her expression twitched slightly. "Kaichou…"
She gestured subtly in front of her chest.
"With Suzuka-senpai's figure…wouldn't that just feel like teasing her?"
"It wouldn't be that kind of design," Symboli Rudolf shook her head. "The idea is to combine Arabian elements with modern swimwear—less exposure, more emphasis on elegance and cuteness."
She crossed her legs lightly.
"Even if Maruzensky saw the draft and she will immediately wanted to redesign her own swimsuit outfit."
"That actually sounds pretty good," Tokai Teio replied, not commenting further.
After all, matters like that ultimately belonged to Shuta An. As a junior, she could only offer opinions—anything beyond that wasn't her place.
—
Back at Sha Tin, Silence Suzuka stepped onto the parade stage.
The reaction from the crowd was immediate.
A wave of cheers surged forward like a tide.
Yet Suzuka herself showed no outward change. Having already raced across multiple international stages, she simply gave a composed bow, her expression as calm as ever.
The audience wasn't surprised.
Silence Suzuka on the racecourse had always been like this—distant, composed, almost untouchable. Very few had ever seen her smile openly.
Most images of her smiling had come from candid shots taken by photographers following her in private. Without those photos, many fans might have believed she was just as cold off the track as she appeared on it.
"And even when she smiles…it's usually directed at her Trainer."
That topic had been discussed before—but it never gained much traction.
After all, it was only natural.
Uma Musume generally had good relationships with their Trainers.
And in Suzuka's case—Her performance had only truly skyrocketed after joining Shuta An.
—
After stepping down from the parade stage, Silence Suzuka glanced briefly at the next runner, Ouzo, who was taking her place, before turning toward the turf.
"It's been more than a year."
She closed her eyes.
The faint scent of earth rose with the breeze as she inhaled deeply.
She would never forget—
That race.
The Hong Kong International Cup.
The moment she had been overtaken, one by one, by her rivals.
That had been the last defeat in her current streak.
"This time—"
Her eyes opened slowly.
"—I'll erase it completely."
By the time she reached the starting gates, her resolve had already settled.
As the runner in gate 10, she would enter second to last.
After Willy in gate 8 stepped in, Silence Suzuka moved forward without needing any prompting from the staff, stepping cleanly into her own gate.
"It's been a while since I started from the outside."
Her posture lowered slightly.
"But it won't change anything."
Her gaze sharpened.
"I won't give anyone a chance."
—
"Click!"
A few seconds later, the gates snapped open.
At that instant—
All hesitation vanished.
"Run."