With the horseshoes changed, the two men and one horse headed for their next stop.
Neigh-!
As soon as they reached the examination area, Golden Masterpiece showed clear signs of resistance.
Nothing good ever happened whenever he came here.
The ranch's injured or sick racehorses were all treated here.
In terms of size, the building was only a little smaller than the stables where the racehorses lived.
It looked quite ordinary from the outside, but its medical facilities were comprehensive. This was the first place Ayano Aoe had overhauled after taking charge.
Only a fully equipped team could ensure the racehorses stayed healthy.
As for the stables, as long as they were spacious enough and the food was good enough, they were all much the same to the horses. What made them happiest was getting to go out to pasture the next day.
"I heard the young lady's planning to set up a Riding Club soon. Some of the ranch's horses that have to retire will be able to go there."
Naturally, the two men chatted as they walked.
Hitachi Yosuke did not know much about it, but it still sounded impressive to him.
As for Asho, as long as he produced results on the track, he would definitely become a stud. That way, they would not have to part.
"That sounds pretty good. At least it'll ensure all the racehorses can keep living happy lives."
Koichi nodded.
Retired racehorses generally had only a few paths available to them.
The first was to become a stud thanks to an outstanding pedigree and racing record.
That was arguably the option with the best treatment.
They spent their days idly grazing, then got down to work when breeding season came around.
Each racehorse also had its own stud fee, like Deep Impact, the current leading sire.
A single mating cost tens of millions, which earned far more than racing did.
The second was to go to a Riding Club or become a Lead Horse at a racecourse.
He had seen Lead Horses when racing in Kyoto. Their main job, naturally, was to guide the racehorses to the track.
Ayano Aoe had some grand ambitions!
Should I nudge the young lady toward making an Uma Musume game?
As long as they secured the rights to enough racehorses, making money would certainly not be a problem.
Even a single gacha banner might bring in more than a racehorse earned in prize money over several years.
He just felt the idea was not quite ready yet.
There was no way he could handle that many horse owners on his own.
Besides, they would need a professional team to carry out the project.
"Have you noticed anything that feels off during riding training lately?"
"Nothing over this period. Golden Masterpiece's condition has been gradually improving, too. I think he's pretty much back where he needs to be now."
Naturally, Koichi had to answer some of the vet's questions this time.
After all, he had been responsible for Asho's recent training.
"Mm, good."
After quickly finishing his notes, the vet turned his attention to Hitachi Yosuke.
"Does his groom have anything to add?"
One groom and one jockey-these were the two people who knew Golden Masterpiece best.
"Golden Masterpiece hasn't had any problems lately. He's eating and drinking well, and his appetite has been very good. His weight has stabilized now, though."
Hitachi Yosuke thought for a moment before answering.
He was already used to questions like these.
These inquiries were made regularly, since they constantly needed to check the horses' physical condition and whether they could safely run in their next race.
"Doctor, we've finished Golden Masterpiece's examination. He's very healthy."
A young man in a white coat hurried over.
To be honest, if possible, he would have liked to spend a little more time with Golden Masterpiece. The horse was simply too good-looking to resist.
If only his temper were a little better, he would have been perfect.
"All right, that concludes today's examination. Just leave the report to us."
The middle-aged vet nodded.
Naturally, he knew Golden Masterpiece was about to run in the Spring Championship at the end of the month.
But is this jockey really reliable?
A single victory did not prove anything. Far too many people shared his doubts.
"We'll be heading off, then."
Hitachi Yosuke bowed slightly, then went to lead Golden Masterpiece outside.
They had spent the morning making the rounds of the various departments.
Koichi Sasaki nodded and followed them.
Their tasks for the morning were finally complete.
After this round of checks, the conclusion was that Golden Masterpiece was healthy enough. As long as they brought him into form, there would be no problem with him racing at the end of the month.
As for the swimming session, Hitachi Yosuke could handle that entirely on his own.
To let the racehorses swim, the ranch had built a pool specifically suited to them.
From the outside, it looked like a fairly wide stream with concrete paths on either side, allowing the horses to swim down the middle.
Neigh-
"All right, all right. We'll head back so you can rest in a moment."
Hitachi Yosuke knew Golden Masterpiece was not in a particularly good mood.
After all, from the horse's perspective, he had spent the entire morning doing pointless things.
Perhaps Asho had thought he was going out to pasture when they left that morning.
"Yosuke, I'll head straight to the cafeteria, then."
Koichi stretched and said goodbye.
Training would certainly carry on as usual tomorrow.
"No problem. I'll get Asho back safely."
Hitachi Yosuke winked.
"Oh, and get ready. We'll be setting off soon, too. While we're there this time, we can check out the cherry blossoms in Osaka."
This time, he had made reservations in advance.
Over the past few days, he had already worked out his entire itinerary.
He had read quite a few travel guides for it.
"No problem."
Koichi smiled faintly.
He really did not have that many friends. Last time had just been a coincidence.
He genuinely did not have any friends in Osaka.
On this trip to Hanshin Racecourse, he would definitely visit Osaka, and he did want to see the cherry blossoms.
Of course, the main attraction was all the delicious food in Osaka City.
He could not let such a good opportunity go to waste.
Japan was famous for its cherry blossom season, fireworks festivals, and autumn foliage season, but the latter two were still a long way off.
After saying goodbye to Hitachi Yosuke and Golden Masterpiece, Koichi settled into his leisurely midday routine again.
Of course, since Golden Home had other arrangements that day, he could also finish work a little earlier that afternoon.
After lunch and a brief chat with Ayumu Kusakawa, he returned to his own ranch.
This was a good chance to secretly observe how Gold Ship's training had been going lately.
Covert observation, courtesy of Koichi.
(End of chapter)
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