Hakodate Racecourse
Quite a few staff members from Hokkai Ranch had come to watch the races this time.
They had lacked the time and opportunity before, but with the venue so close now, they naturally wanted to make the most of the chance.
On their way there, they had even run into quite a few fans who had made a special trip to watch the races.
As for Hokkai Ranch, it still was not open to visitors.
Although Hokkai Ranch was not particularly large, it was quite well known. After all, both Gold Ship and Epiphaneia were resting there.
That had indirectly boosted the ranch's own reputation as well.
Haruki Kuchiki had discussed the matter with Koichi, but after giving it some thought, they had decided against it. Welcoming visitors would be a decent option, but racing definitely remained their priority for now.
Once visitors started coming, there would be more things to watch out for, and they would even have to devote time and energy specifically to managing them.
Koichi himself was not riding in all that many races, either.
Most of the races during this period were for two-year-olds.
Most owners still hoped to find a strong jockey to give their horses a helping hand.
Winning on the first attempt would be ideal, but even if they could not win, it would let their horses get properly accustomed to what racing involved.
Another point was that the racecourses in Hokkaido were a little more like those in Europe than the central racecourses were.
That was partly down to the climate and location.
Koichi had to drink plenty of water after every race.
The day had given him plenty to reflect on.
The gap between horses was simply too great. Although some had received good evaluations, many were still