Chapter 100. Japan Cup Eve Part 2
Before entering the starting gate, Shuta An could already feel Tokai Teio's emotions becoming increasingly spirited beneath him.
"His first race in nearly four months, and Teio's fighting spirit is stronger than I expected. He really has been holding himself back all this time,"
The young man murmured, the corners of his lips curling upward slightly as he tightened the reins just enough to steady him.
"Then today, let him run to his heart's content."
Soon, it was Tokai Teio's turn to approach the gate.
The moment Teio appeared near the far outside lane, the live commentator's voice instantly rose several degrees in excitement.
"Gate 14 on the far outside! The undefeated Triple Crown champion, Tokai Teio! The horse who defeated Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Subotica in this year's Prix Ganay! On the saddle is champion jockey Shuta An! Today, can Tokai Teio follow in his father's footsteps, defeat every challenger at Tokyo Racecourse, and once again defend the Japan Cup?!"
Before the commentator had even finished speaking, the grandstands erupted into deafening cheers.
The overwhelming roar rolled across Tokyo Racecourse like a tidal wave, startling several of the overseas horses enough for them to toss their heads uneasily.
"What incredible cheering—"
Duffield, the jockey riding User Friendly, widened his eyes slightly as he glanced toward the stands.
"I haven't heard an atmosphere like this even once in Europe this year. Tokai Teio's popularity in Japan is absurd."
"More importantly, the atmosphere itself is completely different from Europe," D. Boeuf, who was riding Vert Amande today, casually interjected from nearby. "If you wanted to experience something similar in England, it would probably have to be the Grand National."
"Yes. In our country, steeplechasing is the sport embraced by the masses, while flat racing is still more of an aristocratic affair. Japan is clearly different."
Duffield responded calmly before turning his gaze back toward the chestnut horse on the far outside.
"Still, forget the atmosphere for now. Mr. Duffield, do you have confidence today?" D. Boeuf suddenly asked directly.
"Confidence?"
Duffield's lips curved upward slightly.
"You mean confidence in defeating Tokai Teio and Shuta An?"
He lightly adjusted the reins in his hands before continuing.
"User Friendly is an undefeated dual Classic winner. If he hadn't missed that earlier race, he would have already completed a Triple Crown. Of course we have confidence."
"I see."
D. Boeuf smiled faintly.
"Then I'll mark Tokai Teio from behind."
"I won't."
Duffield shook his head almost immediately.
"Tokyo Racecourse is listed as heavy today. Rather than marking Tokai Teio from the rear, I intend to let User Friendly move up early and secure a good leading position."
Because Vert Amande was not considered a genuine threat today, Duffield had no intention of concealing his tactical thinking.
On the other side, Shuta An had also begun chatting with L. Dittman, the jockey riding Naturalism.
"Naturalism came here specifically to challenge Tokai Teio,"
L. Dittman spoke first, his tone carrying obvious confidence.
"As long as she wins this Japan Cup, he can fully establish herself above Beau Zam and Let's Elope. His status within Australian racing history will become unquestionable."
"But you chose the wrong opponent." Shuta An's expression remained completely calm.
"Tokai Teio stands on a higher level."
"Does he?"
L. Dittman raised an eyebrow.
"Tokai Teio only won the Prix Ganay and one domestic G1 this year, then disappeared for months afterward. Was it because his condition needed adjustment?"
"No."
Shuta An gripped the whip lightly in his right hand before answering in an even tone.
"It's simply because there wasn't any race more worth running than the Japan Cup."
As he spoke, the young man slowly spread his arms, his gaze carrying unmistakable certainty.
"After winning the Japan Cup this year, next year Tokai Teio will go to Australia, England, France, and America."
"I'll prove one thing with him. Tokai Teio is a true world-class horse, and I will personally push him into the GOAT discussion."
"Then I'll look forward to it."
L. Dittman smiled.
"But before that, let's settle today's race first."
"I also heard Mr. Dittman is extremely skilled with the windmill whip," Shuta An replied with a grin. "I hope I'll get to witness it today."
"I'll gladly give Mr. Shuta that opportunity."
After leaving those words behind, L. Dittman guided Naturalism away toward the starting gate preparation area.
Watching his departing figure, Shuta An narrowed his eyes slightly.
"He's probably the most dangerous opponent today—"
The reason for that judgment was simple.
In Shuta An's view, User Friendly was actually not particularly suited to Tokyo Racecourse's turf condition. Even though today's track was officially classified as heavy, Japanese heavy tracks were fundamentally different from European heavy tracks.
"In any case…"
The young man slowly stretched his shoulders while adjusting his grip on the reins.
"Since Oganai-kun plans to control the race at a standard-to-slow pace, that's naturally beneficial for Teio. Even from the far outside gate, I still need to ride aggressively today."
Then, lowering his head slightly, he gently patted Tokai Teio's neck.
"You may have to take a few more whip strikes today, Teio. When we return to the stable later, I'll feed you apples."
Tokai Teio merely snorted softly in response.
"I'll take that as agreement."
Shuta An laughed quietly.
"It's almost time. Run well today and complete the father-son domination."
Tokai Teio snorted again before leisurely walking toward the starting gate.
Because they had drawn Gate 14 on the far outside, Tokai Teio and Shuta An were naturally among the final group to enter.
By now, Shuta An had already fully adjusted his condition in advance. His body lowered slightly over Tokai Teio's back as he firmly tightened the reins, his entire posture entering a perfectly prepared state.
The starter standing above noticed this and deliberately waited an extra brief moment before raising the flag.
Such a degree of leniency was still well within acceptable limits.
Then, as the pre-race fanfare came to an end, the starting gates burst open with a sharp metallic clang.
At that exact instant, Shuta An thrust both hands forward decisively.
Tokai Teio exploded from the gate.
All thirteen other horses also started cleanly, and almost immediately afterward, just as he had mentioned earlier in the waiting room, Hideo Oganai urged Legacy World toward the front of the field, preparing to lead the race at her own rhythm.
However, what surprised several Japanese jockeys — including Shuta An — was that Dr. Devious, ridden by McCarron, quickly moved up beside Legacy World as well, clearly showing intent to contest the lead position.
"Trying to increase the pace?"
Shuta An frowned slightly.
"I really don't want to run a fast race on a heavy track today."
For Tokai Teio, an ultra-fast pace was already uncomfortable enough under normal conditions. Combined with today's heavy Tokyo turf, the situation would become even more troublesome.
"If they really force the pace—" the young man thought silently, "then I may have to let Teio settle slightly farther back."
Yet what surprised him even more was Hideo Oganai's response.
Faced with McCarron's pressure, Oganai did not panic or urge Legacy World forward aggressively. Instead, he continued riding calmly and steadily, allowing Legacy World to maintain his own comfortable rhythm exactly as planned, displaying a completely indifferent attitude toward whether Dr. Devious intended to seize the lead.
Seeing that the Japanese jockey remained entirely unmoved, McCarron gradually frowned.
In the end, he abandoned the attempt to fight for the front.
Rather than force Dr. Devious to accelerate further, McCarron simply eased back behind Legacy World and gave up on personally setting the pace.
Shuta An, seeing that McCarron did not continue contending for the lead position, quietly let out a breath of relief. At the same time, he abandoned the idea of deliberately dropping Tokai Teio farther back.
Guiding him slightly inward, he steadily secured fourth position. Ahead of them, occupying third, was the local Minami Kanto horse, Hashiru Shogun. Trailing behind Tokai Teio were Ikuno Dictus and Yamanin Global.
"This position is excellent."
That thought crossed Shuta An's mind before they entered the first turn. However, even as he focused ahead, the young man noticed Naturalism following diagonally behind Yamanin Global, his gaze fixed firmly upon Tokai Teio's back.
"As expected, Mr. Dittman is marking me." Shuta An showed no surprise whatsoever. "Fine. Do as you like. It won't affect me anyway."
After entering the bend, Shuta An kept Tokai Teio tightly against the rail, completely shutting down any opportunity for the horses behind to slip through the inside and run alongside him.
Standing within the grandstand, Matsumoto Shoichi could not help exclaiming.
"Shuta-kun is saving an incredible amount of ground today. He's calculating every inch on the corners."
Having already heard Azuma Ikuo relay Shuta An's earlier remarks, the Horse Owner followed up thoughtfully, "Perhaps Shuta-kun values Teio's campaign next year very highly?"
"That's probably part of it," Matsumoto Shoichi replied with a grin. "Besides Tokai Teio, Rice Shower will also enter his senior year next season. If the schedule isn't handled carefully, he may have no choice but to let him go."
"Teio will definitely campaign overseas next year, so I'll be relying on Trainer Matsumoto then." The Horse Owner slightly lowered his head.
Matsumoto Shoichi answered with a smile, "Next year, I'll definitely be accompanying the team abroad myself. Shuta-kun already took the initiative once. If I leave all the preparations to him again, I wouldn't even feel comfortable accepting my Trainer's share."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"It's still too early to finalize next year's schedule, but regardless of anything else, we absolutely must win this Japan Cup."
"There shouldn't be any problem,"
Higashi Ikuo suddenly interjected. As Tokai Teio's Groom, he naturally had the standing to participate in the discussion.
"Teio's condition looks excellent. He isn't pulling at the bit at all, and his fighting spirit is extremely strong."
"Naturally." Matsumoto Shoichi's smile deepened. "I dare say I've put a tremendous amount of effort into stabilizing Tokai Teio's mental state during this period. When the sprint phase begins, Shuta-kun will definitely be pleasantly surprised."
"Is that so?" Hearing this, the Horse Owner visibly relaxed.
—
After entering the straight opposite the grandstand, Shuta An suddenly noticed User Friendly beginning to accelerate slightly. In a smooth motion, he overtook both Tokai Teio and Hashiru Shogun, pushing Tokai Teio down into fifth place.
However, Shuta An showed no sign of impatience.
"For Duffield to accelerate early here was completely within expectations."
The young man instantly saw through the opponent's thinking.
"He must have realized that User Friendly isn't fully comfortable on this Racecourse, so he wants to secure position in advance and use his abundant stamina to compensate for his lack of explosive acceleration."
Yet despite understanding this, Shuta An remained perfectly calm.
"For Teio, the wide outer stretch of Tokyo Racecourse and Japan's heavy turf are both advantages."
Holding the reins steadily with both hands, he kept Tokai Teio tucked directly behind Hashiru Shogun, deliberately staggering their positions slightly so that overtaking later would become easier.
Behind them, Yamanin Global and Ikuno Dictus were also beginning to stir.
However, Kawachi Hiroshi decisively suppressed the urge to move forward early.
"If I overtake too soon, it's easy to provoke Tokai Teio's fighting spirit. Once Shuta-kun follows Teio's momentum and pulls out early, she'll only become smoother and stronger as the race progresses. At that point—"
Kawachi Hiroshi could already picture the scenario in his mind. Tokai Teio accelerating prematurely would inevitably drag the entire field into motion, trapping Yamanin Global within an unfavorable flow of pace.
In his view, if Yamanin Global wanted a good result today, then the most important thing was ensuring his finishing burst came as late as possible, thereby minimizing his stamina disadvantage.
As for Muramoto Yoshiyuki aboard Ikuno Dictus, his reasoning was even more straightforward.
He simply did not want to experience the sensation of being targeted by Shuta An again.
"I've already been suppressed by Shuta-kun plenty of times in G1 races over the years. And today, he's riding Tokai Teio."
Just imagining it made Muramoto Yoshiyuki abandon any intention of moving forward early.
"If I get marked by Tokai Teio in this kind of race, the pressure will definitely be even worse."
Thus, the field's order remained largely unchanged throughout the entire straight opposite the grandstand.
"The first 1100 meters were passed in 60.3 seconds. Considering today's heavy track conditions, this can be considered a standard pace!"
The live commentator's voice rang loudly throughout Tokyo Racecourse.
"Tokai Teio currently remains in fifth place, and his rhythm still appears extremely steady!"
"Shuta-kun hasn't attempted anything risky." Matsumoto Shoichi appeared highly satisfied with the young man's choices. "He's simply allowing Tokai Teio to run a stable Senko race. There's no need for anything fancy early on. Stability is enough."
"But User Friendly also looks extremely comfortable." The Horse Owner's concern resurfaced. "Will we still be able to catch him later?"
"It should be fine," Higashi Ikuo answered while keeping his eyes locked on User Friendly.
"Shuta-kun already said he wouldn't adapt well to the turf here. Later on, he definitely won't be able to produce the same explosiveness he showed in Europe."
"Moreover..." Matsumoto Shoichi slowly narrowed his eyes, "Shuta-kun has already begun subtly moving Tokai Teio outward."
A grin appeared on his face.
"It seems he's preparing to use that old tactic again."
"Accelerating directly after turning the fourth corner... and then letting him fly."
—
As they entered the final bend, Shuta An gently guided Tokai Teio outward a fraction.
This tiny movement was immediately noticed by the horses behind.
The local jockeys instantly understood what he intended. Shuta An was clearly preparing to launch Tokai Teio's sprint the moment they entered the final straight.
However, L. Dittman aboard Lets Elope did not fully grasp the true meaning behind the movement.
He mistakenly assumed Shuta An intended to accelerate immediately during the corner itself.
"Tokai Teio already has home advantage. If he accelerates early here, there's no way Lets Elope and I will be able to catch him."
The instant that thought crossed his mind, L. Dittman decisively pulled outward, urging LetsElope forward earlier than planned. Even if he could not directly overtake Tokai Teio yet, at minimum he intended to clear the two Japanese horses behind her first.
Kawachi Hiroshi immediately sensed the sudden movement behind him, and the corner of his mouth twitched slightly.
"Shuta An wouldn't even dare accelerate from here...yet you actually are. You're even bolder than Shuta An himself."
Without resisting at all, he simply allowed Lets Elope to pass by on the outside.
"Once we enter the final straight, you'll suffer for this anyway. I'm not in a hurry."
Meanwhile, Shuta An instantly noticed Lets Elope surging aggressively forward.
"Interesting."
A faint smile appeared beneath his goggles.
"So he wants to occupy my acceleration lane before I exit the bend?"
His interpretation actually went one layer deeper than Dittman's own thoughts.
"But it doesn't matter."
Because at that very moment, Shuta An noticed Hashiru Shogun beginning to lose momentum.
Concerned about causing interference later, Suzuki Keiji aboard Hashiru Shogun gradually shifted outward in advance, avoiding the possibility of colliding with trailing horses once his speed dropped further.
"Oh?"
The young man's eyes narrowed slightly.
"In that case, Lets Elope will only be forced farther toward the outside; while Teio and I can directly take the space Hashiru Shogun just opened for us."
Realizing this, Shuta An calmly prepared to accept the gift handed to him by the local horse.