Chapter 27. Prediction
To make the name of Team Sadalsuud resound throughout Japan once again, the first race Shuta had to face was the Victoria Mile, which was decided last year to be newly established this year.
It shared the same racecourse and distance as the Yasuda Kinen, so it was fine to treat it as a warm-up for the Yasuda Kinen.
It was just that the interval between races was a little short.
As a newly established G1-grade stakes race this year, the Victoria Mile attracted a large number of older Uma Musume from the Triple Tiara Route to register, and the competition was extremely fierce.
Some Uma Musume with one stakes victory were even rejected because their prize money was insufficient. Although there were still two weeks until the race, it was already certain that the number of participating Uma Musume in the first Victoria Mile would be 18—a full gate.
As a newly established G1 race, the URA Association's promotional strategy for this year's Victoria Mile focused on promoting Mejiro Dober and Air Groove, two top-tier Triple Tiara Route Uma Musume—although comparing the two Uma Musume's current records would make Air Groove seem like she was trying to ride on Mejiro Dober's popularity, at the Central Tracen Academy, Air Groove was the only Triple Tiara Route Uma Musume who could contend with Miss Mejiro Dober for popularity.
Other Uma Musume who had won Triple Tiara Route G1 races were far less popular than Air Groove.
Team Rigil felt immense pressure because of this. After all, promoting Air Groove with her current achievements alongside Mejiro Dober, and with the URA Association specifically promoting them as rivals—the kind of public reaction this would provoke was predictable.
"I don't know what the URA Association is thinking. With this kind of promotion, won't Air Groove-san definitely be attacked?"
Mejiro Dober herself didn't quite understand it.
"Don't mind those things."
Shuta An waved his hand.
"Dober won't be affected anyway, right? Whatever Air Groove encounters, until Tojo Hana comes to me, it's her own business to figure out how to deal with it—no matter what, I'm not Team Rigil's Trainer, so how they are doing doesn't have much to do with me, does it?"
"That's what you say, but if a big problem really arises, Ann, you'd still help solve it, wouldn't you?"
Mejiro Dober glanced at her lover. She knew that even if the young man spoke as if it didn't concern him now, he would still try his best to solve it if he received a request.
"I can only offer some suggestions. Whether to adopt them, how to adopt them, and how to implement them are all Tojo Hana's own business."
Shuta An embraced his lover and whispered in response.
"Anyway, Air Groove is also Dober's opponent in the upcoming Victoria Mile, and I won't do anything to help an opponent."
"Doesn't Ann like Echigo no Ryu?"
Mejiro Dober raised an eyebrow, a little surprised, because in public opinion, Uesugi Kenshin, who "sent salt to his enemies." still had a good reputation.
"It's not that I don't like him, I just don't want to be that kind of person."
The young man pecked her cheek and explained.
"After all, Uesugi Kenshin never had a wife his entire life."
Mejiro Dober didn't expect her lover's reason to be so unique.
—
With ten days left until the Victoria Mile, the list of participants was almost finalized.
This time, Twinkle magazine found Nishizaki Ryu to write a preview analysis for the race. Nishizaki Ryu decisively predicted the outcome of the race in his analysis column.
"If you have the chance to come to the Central Tracen Academy's first training ground, be sure to stand on the sidelines in the morning and witness Mejiro Dober and Tokai Teio's training firsthand. Then you will know why Mejiro Dober will win this Victoria Mile with an advantage."
The above is from Nishizaki Ryu's "Queen's Showdown? Queen's Coronation!—Victoria Mile Analysis."
—
Shuta didn't pay much attention to Nishizaki Ryu's high praise for Dober. Starting this week, his main focus was to adjust Dober for the Victoria Mile. Teio also gradually began to increase her training intensity, slowly starting to find her running rhythm.
And Rice Shower, who was preparing for the Japanese Derby, experienced even more "love" from her two Team Sadalsuud seniors, sweating even more on the training ground.
On Shuta's side, with Berno absent, he was gradually getting used to handling all the logistical work himself. The increased workload did not delay the young man's main business; Shuta already had some ideas about what tactics Dober would employ in the Victoria Mile.
"In short, the 1600-meter turf track at Tokyo Racecourse doesn't offer much room for fancy tricks; it's still about overpowering the competition."
But when it came to "power." among the 18 Uma Musume on the participant list, Shuta was confident that Dober was the strongest.
As this week's NHK Mile Cup concluded, Shuta knew that he and Dober were about to enter the final week of preparation for the Victoria Mile. In the next seven days, the young man would fight alongside the undefeated Triple Tiara Uma Musume he had trained for victory in this newly established G1 race.
Regardless of other matters, the young man had already planned out a specific strategy for Dober this week, only waiting to see which gate Mejiro Dober would be assigned in the URA Association's gate draw next Thursday.
From Shuta's perspective, he hoped Dober would be assigned a middle gate, something like gate 6 to 12. But he always felt that the URA Association would pull a trick and directly put Dober and Air Groove in the innermost or outermost gate.
This premonition grew stronger with time.
Should I say hello to Symboli Rudolf?
Shuta had considered this question.
The young man was confident that if he asked Symboli Rudolf to say hello to the URA Association, neither Dober's nor Air Groove's gate assignments would be deliberately manipulated.
But then it feels like I'm using my influence to manipulate the race, Shuta mused.
I guess I'll just forget about it. Anyway, even if Dober is assigned to the outermost gate 18, we can still crush all opponents like withered leaves.
It wasn't that Shuta looked down on Air Groove and other domestic Triple Tiara Route Uma Musume, but after some experience in top international races, the current Dober and the domestic Triple Tiara Route Uma Musume had developed a significant difference in class.
Of course, it was clear that Shuta wasn't the only one who thought this way. In the media on Wednesday, reporters and experts all believed that Dober held an absolute advantage.
Some even suggested holding a poll to see how many lengths people thought Miss Mejiro Dober should win by to be considered satisfactory.
As for Air Groove, thankfully, she wasn't disheartened by this, in fact she was rather excited. In addition, Air Groove and Tojo Hana were secretly relieved, as in the eyes of public opinion, she and Dober were not on the same level at all, and the URA Association's promotional strategy was met with laughter.
This made Tojo Hana, who had been very worried about Air Groove being attacked, breathe a sigh of relief. But seeing the public opinion overwhelmingly favoring Miss Mejiro Dober, Tojo Hana felt a sense of imbalance.
Before the race even begins, anything is possible. Why wouldn't Air Groove of our Team Rigil have a chance?
With this thought, Tojo Hana also desperately trained Air Groove.
—
On Thursday afternoon, Shuta and Dober embraced in Team Sadalsuud's activity room, waiting for the URA Association to send the Victoria Mile gate assignments.
"It would be better for Dober to be assigned a middle gate, as it makes getting positioned out of the gate much more comfortable." was the young man's opinion.
"I'll win no matter where I'm assigned. Any gate is fine."
Mejiro Dober's opinion.
Maintaining their different viewpoints, the distance between them grew closer and closer until their noses touched.
Mejiro Dober suddenly licked her lover's lips, then flashed back, revealing a triumphant smile.
Shuta rolled his eyes and said nothing more.
—
Just as Mejiro Dober moved back, the computer chimed with a new email notification. Shuta stood up from the sofa, went to the computer, and clicked open his email inbox. An email from the URA Association lay quietly inside; the email content was precisely the results of the first Victoria Mile gate draw.
Shuta simply clicked it open and projected the email content onto the screen in front of the sofa. Then Mejiro Dober raised her head and, with her lover, saw the results of this gate draw.
"Assigned to Gate 1."
"It's Gate 1..."
Shuta and Miss Mejiro Dober almost simultaneously uttered exclamations with nearly identical content.
"This isn't a good position." the young man grumbled. "Dober prefers to hold back and then make a late charge, right? Gate 1 means it's easy to get boxed in at the back."
"There's nothing we can do, so I should run a front-running tactic this time, right?"
Mejiro Dober understood the young man's implied meaning and immediately responded.
"Yes, we can only use the senko tactic." Shuta nodded, then showed a relaxed smile. "Thankfully, the leading Uma Musume this time aren't that strong, and each has a softer personality. Most likely, they won't fight over the leading position; they should be content to slow down together."
"That means if we use the senko tactic, we'll definitely benefit from a slow pace."
Mejiro Dober's eyes lit up. "Another reason."
"So, this time, we can only use the senko tactic."
Shuta walked over and patted Mejiro Dober's shoulder.
"Anyway, before turning into the final straight, you need to find a clear path. When you pass the 400-meter marker, unleash your final burst and leave all your opponents far behind in one go."
"I'll do it! I'll show Ann what I did in Dubai at Tokyo Racecourse!"
Mejiro Dober clenched her fists and waved them at her lover.
It's worth mentioning that Air Groove drew gate 2, right next to Mejiro Dober.
"However, Air Groove will probably also choose the senko tactic like Dober, which means—"
Shuta narrowed his eyes. "Mark Air Groove or be marked by her—which one do you choose?"
"I choose the latter." Mejiro Dober made her choice without hesitation. "Of course, I have to choose the latter."
"That's true." Shuta's lips curved upwards. "If Dober marks Air Groove, her mentality might collapse under the pressure."
The young man was extremely confident in his judgment. Everything stemmed from Mejiro Dober's overseas racing experience. Air Groove, who had never experienced the racing atmosphere overseas, would have very limited tolerance for marking tactics when facing an extremely aggressive opponent.
—
On Saturday, after dropping Mejiro Dober off for isolation at Tokyo Racecourse, Shuta returned home alone.
Silence Suzuka sat quietly in the living room, watching TV by herself—Oguri Cap and Berno Light had returned to Kasamatsu to inspect the progress of local charity projects.
The young man naturally sat beside Silence Suzuka, silently watching TV with her.
"Tomorrow's race, you're 100% confident, right?"
The Uma Musume turned her head to ask her lover during a commercial break.
Shuta held Silence Suzuka's hand.
"More or less? Anyway, I have full confidence in Dober."
"Which race haven't you said that before?"
Silence Suzuka pouted.
"Uh—Rice Shower's Satsuki Sho?"
The young man's answer this time left Silence Suzuka unsure how to respond.
"What about Rice's Japanese Derby?"
The Uma Musume decided to skip the Victoria Mile and asked again.
"It's hard to say…"
For Shuta, among the G1 races the Team Sadalsuud was scheduled to participate in during the first half of the year, Rice Shower's Japanese Derby was the most challenging. Mihono Bourbon's strength was evident, and with Rice Shower's growth rate in spring, it would be difficult to narrow the gap as much as possible.
"The key issue is whether Rice Shower can successfully use the 'follow and escape' tactic and maintain her stamina." The young man began. "If the tactic goes smoothly, there should still be a chance to win."
"If we lose, Ann will be under a lot of pressure, right?"
Silence Suzuka leaned against her lover, holding his hand back.
"Will you need me to give an interview and say something to help divert public attention?"
"No." Shuta quickly rejected Silence Suzuka's idea. "I don't need you, Suzuka, to sacrifice yourself."
He exerted a little force, pulling the Uma Musume into his arms, and with a strong movement of his waist, he lifted her into a princess carry.
"Don't think about things that haven't happened yet."
"Then what should I think about?"
Suzuka's tone carried a hint of languor.
However, both of them knew the answer to that question.