Eight Min Mile Race ②

The race was unfolding somewhat differently from Lin Zhi's estimates.

Although Mindu Laser had chosen to go forward and was running sixth in the pack, Golden Spear, Iron Horse had not settled in the mid-pack as Lin Zhi had predicted. Instead, he had moved up into the forward group and was currently behind Mindu Laser in ninth place.

"There are some differences, but they aren't significant. I can keep an eye on both Mindu Laser and Golden Spear, Iron Horse this way."

Shan Yao moved her right hand, guiding Cloudstream Flying Shadow slightly inward in hopes of saving some stamina. Her eyes stayed fixed on Mindu Laser and Golden Spear, Iron Horse ahead.

The pack soon moved from the first turn into the second. Shan Yao did not keep pulling Cloudstream Flying Shadow inward, instead allowing him to naturally drift outward with the centrifugal force.

"The first four hundred meters were passed in 23.9 seconds. Neither fast nor slow, a very standard time. It seems that although they fought for the lead, jockey Du Wei and jockey Lin did not push the pace too hard."

Shan Yao calculated it in her head and came to nearly the same conclusion as the commentator, letting out a sigh of relief.

"Good. This pace favors Cloudstream Flying Shadow. Keep watching those two."

Like Jian'an, Mindu Racecourse's turf track was only 1,400 meters long, with its two straights running fully parallel to the 1,600-meter dirt track.

However, unlike the dirt track's differently sized turns, Mindu's turf track had two turns of equal length, though their degrees of curvature differed slightly.

Since this race was 1,600 meters, the pack would run two hundred meters down the straight after leaving the final straight before entering the more sharply curved first and second turns.

Because of the sharper curves, if the horses were not pulled inward and slowed down, centrifugal force would carry them directly to the outside. But they could also avoid slowing down and use that force to move outside, gaining position on the straight.

Ning Fei had told Shan Yao this. He was not racing in Mindu this week and had stayed in Jian'an instead. Since there was no scheduling conflict, he chose to share his experience racing on Mindu's turf with her.

"Cloudstream Flying Shadow did not slow down and gradually moved to the outside, into thirteenth position. Number twelve on the inside, Bamboo Shadows of South Mountain, is catching up, followed by number ten..."

Zhang Jun rested his binoculars on the bridge of his nose and stared in Cloudstream Flying Shadow's direction, his palms soaked with sweat.

The second turn passed quickly. Since he had not slowed down, Cloudstream Flying Shadow had shifted from the fifth lane to the seventh lane by the time he entered the second straight.

Shan Yao tugged Cloudstream Flying Shadow slightly inward, returning to the fifth lane.

Because the other horses needed to accelerate again while Cloudstream Flying Shadow did not, he quickly moved from fourteenth back to twelfth after entering the straight. He was now only half a length behind number thirteen, Scenery on the Lake, at the tail of the forward group.

"Great position!" Zhang Jun could not help exclaiming.

"Green Mountains, Clear Waters and Treading Snow in Search of Plum Blossoms are still leading, but the gap has widened to three lengths.

"Brilliant Starlight and Song of the Immortals in the Grotto are still at the front of the forward group, followed by Mindu Laser, Song of the Min River, Rongcheng Flying General, and Golden Spear, Iron Horse, who are gradually moving up. Half a length behind them is Pearl of the Eastern Sea..."

"Cloudstream Flying Shadow is so fast! He has moved from fourteenth back to twelfth and is only half a length from the forward group. What do you think of jockey Shan Yao's handling through the turn?"

The commentator could not help marveling as he turned to the guest commentator.

The guest explained, "Although he drifted outside because of centrifugal force, his speed did not drop..."

"The race has now covered eight hundred meters in 47.5 seconds. They are about to enter the third turn. At the head of the pack is number three, Treading Snow in Search of Plum Blossoms. Number one on the inside, Green Mountains, Clear Waters, is only half a head behind, followed by..."

As they entered the third turn, Shan Yao looked up at Mindu Laser, already in the outermost seventh lane, and Golden Spear, Iron Horse in the six-and-a-half lane ahead. She frowned.

"The entire forward group is packed between the three-and-a-half and seventh lanes. By the fourth turn, they could spread into the ninth or tenth lane. Should I move outside, beyond the eleventh lane?"

She looked down at Cloudstream Flying Shadow, her heart firming. Trust your partner. If even the jockey racing alongside him doesn't trust her partner, how can they possibly win?

Because the third and fourth turns were near the rounded end of Mindu's teardrop-shaped dirt track, their curves were very gentle, leaving little centrifugal force to assist them.

Shan Yao pulled hard with both hands, guiding Cloudstream Flying Shadow outside into the eighth lane, then began driving him forward.

"They're about to enter the final straight! Mindu's final straight is a long 428 meters. Who will claim the final victory?"

The commentator's voice rose higher and higher. "Number three, Treading Snow in Search of Plum Blossoms, is the first into the turn, but Green Mountains, Clear Waters refuses to yield! They're running neck and neck!"

"Mindu Laser! What speed! He instantly catches Green Mountains, Clear Waters! Song of the Immortals in the Grotto follows close behind! Then Golden Spear, Iron Horse!"

Zhang Jun lowered his binoculars, then gripped them tightly again. His fingertips turned white as his eyes locked onto Cloudstream Flying Shadow.

"Now!"

Seeing the opening left after Golden Spear, Iron Horse and the other horses surged forward, Shan Yao made her decision at once. She urged Cloudstream Flying Shadow to accelerate from the relatively open seventh and eighth lanes.

She lowered her body until she was nearly pressed against Cloudstream Flying Shadow. Holding the whip in her right hand, she flicked it twice before his eyes, then lightly struck his right hindquarter.

Cloudstream Flying Shadow understood immediately. His hind legs drove powerfully, his stride frequency quickened, his stride lengthened, and he shot through the gap.

"Cloudstream Flying Shadow! What incredible speed!" the commentator cried. "He instantly catches Misty Rain over the Lake! There is nothing ahead of Cloudstream Flying Shadow now!"

"No deadlock! He passes directly! So fast! So fast! Cloudstream Flying Shadow comes up from the outside into sixth! He is rapidly closing on Green Mountains, Clear Waters! He passes one! Another one! Cloudstream Flying Shadow is in fourth!"

Zhang Jun's breathing grew increasingly rapid. Could he catch them? Could he catch them?

"Cloudstream Flying Shadow charges from the outside eighth lane! Mindu Laser ahead, Song of the Immortals in the Grotto on the inside, Golden Spear, Iron Horse on the outside! Can he catch them? Can he hold on!"

"One length! Half a length! He catches up! Cloudstream Flying Shadow passes Golden Spear, Iron Horse!"

Guan Meng, riding Song of the Immortals in the Grotto, glanced over from the corner of his eye. Seeing Shan Yao in that familiar racing silks—blue base, white horses, black sleeves, yellow waves, and golden stripes—rapidly closing in, he felt a wave of helplessness.

"Why is it this guy again?!"

"Song of the Immortals in the Grotto, we have to hold on!!!"

"One hundred meters remaining! Can Cloudstream Flying Shadow make up that final length?"

The commentator roared, "They're level! Song of the Immortals in the Grotto on the inside catches Mindu Laser! Cloudstream Flying Shadow on the outside is steadily closing! Will it be Song of the Immortals in the Grotto? Mindu Laser? Or Cloudstream Flying Shadow!"

Shan Yao bit her lip and kept flicking the whip and driving forward, faster and faster, faster and faster.

Cloudstream Flying Shadow's dark brown eyes were fixed on the finish line ahead. His ears were pinned tightly back against his head, his neck stretching desperately forward.

"The final fifty meters! Cloudstream Flying Shadow catches up! Cloudstream Flying Shadow catches up! Mindu Laser is gradually falling behind! It's a duel between Song of the Immortals in the Grotto and Cloudstream Flying Shadow!"

The cheers in the racecourse shot into the sky. Zhang Jun waved his arms and shouted from the private box, "Cloudstream Flying Shadow, go!"

Beside him, Song of the Immortals in the Grotto's owner had already torn open his suit jacket. "Song of the Immortals in the Grotto, don't lose!"

"Song of the Immortals in the Grotto! Or Cloudstream Flying Shadow! Song of the Immortals in the Grotto! Cloudstream Flying Shadow! Cloudstream Flying Shadow! Cloudstream Flying Shadow is edging ahead! The gap is widening! Cloudstream Flying Shadow! Cloudstream Flying Shadow! Cloudstream Flying Shadow crosses the line!"

"Yes! We won!"

Zhang Jun shouted, leaped onto Luo Heng, grabbed him around the neck, and shook him nonstop.

"I'm... I'm dying..." Luo Heng swayed from side to side.