"Koichi, don't bother with those people. They're just spectators who want to stir up trouble."
Hitachi Yosuke took the reins, then glanced at the people chatting nearby.
They were simply jealous.
That sort of thing was fairly common in horse racing. After all, a single victory meant a huge payout.
Now that Koichi had earned two million from just one race, they were naturally envious.
"Don't worry. I haven't let them get to me."
Koichi smiled faintly.
He knew, of course, that his friend was worried about him.
Pressure was everywhere, especially with their race about to begin.
"Asho, you'd better keep working hard too."
Hitachi Yosuke nodded.
They had known each other for almost half a year now, so he understood his friend fairly well.
He really had no idea how Koichi managed to stay so confident.
Was that a talent too?
Still, Koichi could never have come this far without both luck and ability.
Neigh-?
Golden Masterpiece glanced at him.
What did any of that have to do with them? They were just clocking in and out as usual.
All they needed to do was ask Koichi for a carrot once they got back.
"Here. This is your only one today."
Koichi also remembered that he had yet to give Asho a carrot today.
He took one out and handed it over.
Hitachi Yosuke said nothing about it.
For a racehorse, a single carrot was just a little snack. It would have no effect on their health.
Of course, eating more would be another matter.
If they ate too many and ended up with an upset stomach, that would be a real ordeal.
Crunch, crunch-
Golden Masterpiece soon finished the carrot.
With a carrot in their belly, their mood improved quite a bit.
"The weather really is lovely today."
Sitting on horseback, Koichi looked up at the clear sky and sighed appreciatively.
Compared with staring at snowy scenery all day, weather like this was much more pleasant.
As for racehorses, they had no fear of bitter winters. What they found hardest to bear was the summer heat.
"The weather really has been nice lately. The cherry blossoms will be blooming soon, after all."
Hitachi Yosuke sighed appreciatively too.
He was already planning to go see the cherry blossoms with Koichi.
Cherry blossom season was fairly short. Usually, the flowers fell after just half a month.
Neigh-
When Hitachi Yosuke suddenly slowed down, Golden Masterpiece let out a neigh.
This little lackey was getting more and more useless.
"We're heading back now! Right now!"
Hitachi Yosuke turned around and immediately noticed that Golden Masterpiece's expression had changed.
The tyrant was still the tyrant.
That overwhelming pressure showed no sign of diminishing.
Golden Masterpiece might struggle against some of the stronger, sturdier racehorses, but he was just a human weighing a little over fifty kilograms.
Koichi laughed rather unkindly too.
Sure enough, being Asho's Stablehand was no easy job either.
Of course, in his experience, a Stablehand mattered more to a Racehorse than a jockey did.
After all, the Stablehand handled all their daily needs.
They were also the person who spent the most time with them.
Over the following days, Koichi naturally remained focused on his morning and afternoon training.
During that time, some jockeys came to give their Racehorses a trial ride, then hurried off to compete in other races.
Koichi and Golden Masterpiece also had a practice run on the course for their upcoming race.
The extra two hundred meters presented a considerable challenge.
Fortunately, this practice run went fairly smoothly.
Koichi even met the legendary offspring of T.M. Opera O, Ryuji Wada.
"Are you heading somewhere else to race, Wada?"
"Yes. I never expected to race alongside a fan of mine. Give the Spring Championship your best too."
Dressed in pink racing silks, Ryuji Wada replied with a smile.
Although Koichi Sasaki had only won a single Grade 3 race in Kyoto, he was already quite well known among jockeys.
Everyone was curious about what the future held for this rising star.
What Wada had not expected was that this rising star had no trace of arrogance. Instead, he was exceptionally approachable.
Weren't young people supposed to be a little more arrogant?
"You too. We'll head back now, then."
Koichi spoke with a smile, then had Golden Masterpiece turn around and head toward the exit.
Naturally, he and Golden Masterpiece had won this practice run.
And Golden Masterpiece had made no effort to spare their opponent's pride, leaving them far behind in the second half.
Neigh-
Golden Masterpiece bobbed their head as they walked.
Clearly, they had not found today's run very satisfying. The opponent they had found today was no match for them at all.
"Thanks for your hard work today."
Neigh-
In a good mood, Golden Masterpiece answered him.
Ryuji Wada and T.M. Opera O were a legend, but after T.M. Opera O retired, Ryuji Wada fell into a strange cycle.
It was not until many years later that he secured another Grade 1 victory.
It was not that Ryuji Wada lacked ability. The Racehorses he rode were simply rather average.
He had won plenty of graded stakes races, but had never managed to secure another Grade 1 victory.
Meanwhile, T.M. Opera O was probably living life as a breeding stallion now.
"They really do remind me a little of us-"
Watching Koichi and Golden Masterpiece leave, Ryuji Wada's eyes filled with memories.
Ten years ago, he had been like that too.
Perhaps.
That was youth. History was always repeating itself.
"Thanks for your hard work today too. Let's hope we can get a good result in the Spring Championship."
Deep down, he still hoped to prove himself once more.
Unfortunately, over all these years, he seemed to have become trapped in a cycle.
His past glory had become a nightmare.
Neigh-
Susan gave her jockey a small response too.
The two of them had fought their way up step by step from the three-year-old maiden races.
Unfortunately, after arriving at Hanshin, Susan's ability clearly no longer measured up.
"Did you meet your idol?"
"Yes, but Asho didn't exactly spare his pride."
When he saw Hitachi Yosuke, Koichi smiled helplessly.
He had originally intended to have Asho slow down a little toward the end, but unfortunately, Asho had gotten carried away with the run.
"Wada really has had it tough these past few years."
Hitachi Yosuke shook his head.
He could hardly comment on what was involved. He was just a Stablehand, and these matters were beyond anything they could take part in.
He had indeed caught a glimpse of it from a distance earlier.
It had been something of a meeting between a fan and his idol, only the ending had been a little too cruel.
"Let's head straight back."
Koichi did not linger any longer either.
"Sure. Shall we finalize our plans for our day off the day after tomorrow too?"
"I'm definitely fine with it. It's all up to you now."
Naturally, they were talking about going out together for a look around.
Despite having been here so long, neither of them had gone out to explore yet.
By now, the cherry blossoms were almost in full bloom.
(End of chapter)
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