Chapter 63. Post-Race Interview and Instructions
While Rice Shower returned to the lounge to prepare for the Winning Live, Shuta Trainer headed to the media area to face the reporters waiting there.
"Congratulations to Ms. Rice Shower on winning her debut race. Team Sadalsuud has also maintained the rare record of every Uma Musume under its banner remaining undefeated in their debut. Shuta Trainer, how do you feel right now?"
"Of course, I'm very happy." Shuta smiled. "Being able to give Rice Shower a strong start to her Twinkle Series career is extremely important for her. I believe this overwhelming victory will also help her gain more confidence moving forward."
"Will Ms. Rice Shower race again this year? And if so, which race are you considering?"
"To prepare for next year's Classic Race stage, I plan to have Rice Shower compete one more time before the end of the year."
Shuta answered frankly.
"The target race is the Tokyo Sports Hai Nisai Stakes in November. Regardless of the result there, Rice Shower will not have a third race this year."
"How are Tokai Teio's preparations for the Kikuka Sho progressing?"
"Today is not an occasion to discuss Tokai Teio."
Shuta declined to answer. In truth, he could not answer even if he wanted to. Tokai Teio was still enjoying her vacation, and the four jogging sessions per week he had arranged for her were merely to maintain her racing feel, not to prepare specifically for the Kikuka Sho.
"If you were to rate Ms. Rice Shower's performance today, where would it rank among the debut performances of Team Sadalsuud's Uma Musumes?"
It was a deliberately tricky question.
Shuta glanced at the reporter. Then, without even raising his eyelids, he answered calmly,
"Victory always makes them number one in my heart."
The young man silently committed the reporter's face to memory before turning and leaving the media area.
Anyone could tell that the final question had put Shuta Trainer in a bad mood. Several reporters who knew him fairly well instinctively took a few steps back, unwilling to draw his attention.
After the Winning Live concluded, Shuta stood with the other Uma Musumes at the entrance of the underground passage, waiting for Rice Shower.
Before long, the black deer-haired Horse Girl appeared in their sight, carrying her suitcase.
"Why does she look so down?" Tokai Teio muttered softly.
Her words reached Shuta's ears.
He carefully observed Rice Shower as she approached and immediately noticed the troubled expression lingering on her face.
"What's wrong?"
Shuta walked forward and took the suitcase from her hand.
"You won the race. You should be happier than this."
Rice Shower raised her head and met her Trainer's gaze. Then, with a trace of grievance in her voice, she recounted the comments her rivals had made after the race.
"Don't take it to heart."
Shuta reached out with his free hand and gently ruffled her hair.
"You won fair and square. There's no need to worry about the opinions of those who lost. This is only the beginning of your Twinkle Series journey. In the future, you'll meet stronger rivals, compete for greater honors, and challenge races far more difficult than this one."
His voice remained calm and steady.
"If you spend all your time worrying about what other people think of you—opinions that are often neither objective nor fair—you'll exhaust yourself. There's no need for that."
"I understand."
Rice Shower pursed her lips and nodded softly.
Tokai Teio immediately chimed in.
"Trainer's right. Don't worry about what your opponent think—especially your defeated opponent. They couldn't outrun you on the track, so their opinions matter even less. Forget about it and focus on resting properly for your next race."
"This is something every top Uma Musume has to face sooner or later."
Mejiro Dober spoke in a gentle, soothing tone.
"I've experienced things like this too, even from people within the Mejiro family. Sometimes prejudice appears regardless of whether you've even raced against someone. It comes from all sorts of reasons."
Her gaze softened as it rested on Rice Shower.
"But you don't need to waste your energy trying to eliminate those prejudices. They can't truly hurt you. All you need to do is keep becoming stronger. Eventually, every prejudice directed at you will be polished into a light that reflects your achievements."
Listening to Mejiro Dober's words, Shuta found himself thinking of a particular name.
He reached out and took Rice Shower's hand, guiding her back into the group.
"When autumn comes, I'll arrange for Rice Shower to meet someone who works with the Academy externally."
He smiled faintly.
"You should listen carefully to her story."
"Who is it?"
The first person to ask was not Rice Shower, but Kurofune, whose curiosity was already overflowing.
"Just like you, Kurofune, she's from America."
Shuta paused briefly before revealing the answer.
"Her name is Sunday Silence."
The moment the name left his mouth, Kurofune visibly shivered.
"Wow! It's her!"
Tokai Teio immediately covered her mouth.
"The Academy hired her before, but I've never actually seen her around!"
"That's because her job is to scout overseas Uma Musumes who are willing to come to Japan and enroll."
Shuta shrugged.
"So it's perfectly normal that you've never run into her at Central Tracen Academy, Teio."
"I see."
Tokai Teio nodded in sudden understanding.
As planned beforehand, after leaving Sapporo Racecourse, Shuta did not immediately lead the Uma Musumes back to the resort. Instead, he brought everyone to a grilled beef tongue restaurant nearby, where he had already made reservations.
"The day after tomorrow, Dober and I will leave for England to prepare for the Yorkshire Oaks."
Once everyone was seated, Shuta spoke first.
"The resort is booked until the end of August. Dober and I will return on August 22nd. During the month or so we're away, all of you should maintain two jogging sessions per week to keep your racing feel."
He glanced around the table.
"As for fitness training and swimming, continue at the same frequency as before. Other than that, your schedules are completely free."
"Okay~"
The Uma Musumes responded in unison.
"Before I leave, I'll also set aside a sum of money that you can use freely."
His gaze settled on Tokai Teio.
"I'll leave it in Teio's care."
"I'll spend it carefully!"
Tokai Teio immediately patted her chest in assurance.
"That's not the point."
Shuta flicked her forehead.
"The money belongs to all three of you. It's meant to be used together."
"Ow."
Tokai Teio rubbed her forehead with a dissatisfied expression.
"After Dober and I leave, there's a high chance reporter will come to the resort looking for interviews. Refuse them whenever possible."
His expression became slightly more serious.
"Some reporters have ulterior motives. They like setting traps with their questions, and it's easy to fall into them if you're not careful."
His gaze shifted toward Rice Shower.
"Especially you. You're still not very experienced when it comes to dealing with reporters. If you're unsure about something, ask Suzuka and the others for advice."
Rice Shower nodded obediently.
Before departing, Shuta Trainer found himself with countless concerns he wanted to leave behind for the Uma Musumes staying at the resort. One after another, he patiently voiced each instruction, unwilling to omit even the smallest detail.
Back at the resort, Shuta could finally set his mind at ease and begin preparing for the Yorkshire Oaks, which was just over a month away.
For Mejiro Dober, attempting to defend her title this year would be anything but easy. After all, the European Uma Musumes would undoubtedly regard her as their greatest rival. And Shuta had already experienced firsthand what coordinated team tactics looked like in the Dream World.
"I need to prepare for the worst-case scenario. If Dober were the kind of Uma Musume who could dictate the pace from the front, things would be much simpler."
Shuta sighed inwardly.
"The only saving grace is that European races are generally run at a slower tempo. Under normal circumstances, Dober won't have to worry about being dragged into a pace she dislikes."
—
Because they would be departing the day after tomorrow, Shuta ordered Mejiro Dober to rest properly over the next two days. Meanwhile, he calmly sat in front of his computer, gathering information on the European Uma Musumes who had already declared their intention to compete in the Yorkshire Oaks.
"There are eight Uma Musumes currently preparing for the race. Although the final field won't be confirmed for another month, watching their race videos now certainly won't be a waste of time."
With that thought, Shuta began analyzing the footage of the eight runners who were most likely to become Mejiro Dober's opponents.
"Making preparations in advance means that once we arrive at York Racecourse, I'll have more time to focus on tactics and think through how Dober should respond to different situations. Since we're aiming for a consecutive victory, failure isn't an option."
The young man understood the nature of the media all too well. If Mejiro Dober failed to win this time, he could already imagine certain European outlets questioning the value of her Yorkshire Oaks victory from the previous year.
Shuta absolutely did not want to see such a development. Yet if they lost, any attempt to argue back would only be dismissed as hollow excuses.
"So I won't give them that opportunity."
The thought alone was enough to ignite his competitive spirit.
The first Uma Musume he examined was Attitre. The reason Shuta paid attention to her first was not because she was particularly strong, but because of something else.
"She only won a single maiden race during her debut season last year and hasn't won since. Her best result was a second-place finish in the G1 Italian Oaks. The overall level of the Italian Twinkle Series has declined steadily since Ribot retired."
Even as he said that, his hand honestly clicked on the Italian Oaks race footage.
"As expected, the overall level of this race is fairly average."
The young man quickly reached his conclusion.
"Attitre is also the type of Uma Musume who prefers to settle near the back. Dober only needs to make sure she doesn't end up behind her."
The next name was Papering.
This Uma Musume had previously won two Listed races at York Racecourse. However, after carefully reviewing both races, Shuta Trainer shook his head.
"The opposition simply wasn't strong enough. Once she steps onto a G1 stage, she probably won't be able to reproduce the same performance."
To verify his judgment, he specifically pulled up footage of Papering's run in last year's G1 Prix Vermeille at Longchamp Racecourse.
The result confirmed his assessment.
The next runner was Crown Of Light, who had finished third in this year's Epsom Oaks.
After watching the replay, Shuta immediately marked her name.
"Although Crown Of Light only finished third behind Reams Of Verse in the Epsom Oaks, she ran completely against the race flow. If the Yorkshire Oaks unfolds at a pace that suits her, there's a very real possibility she could reverse that result against Reams Of Verse."
The reason he made that observation was simple—Reams Of Verse, this year's Epsom Oaks champion, had also declared for the Yorkshire Oaks.
However, just as he had evaluated Crown Of Light moments earlier, Shuta believed Crown Of Light's true ability was actually superior.
Next came Squeak, who had narrowly won a G3 Yorkshire Oaks trial by a neck in her most recent outing. However, the gulf between Listed races, G2 and G3 events, and the G1 level remained enormous.
Shuta did not believe Squeak could so easily cross that barrier and challenge Mejiro Dober.
Then came Alcalali.
After reviewing her race record, Shuta realized he had underestimated Attitre earlier. Alcalali's best result across ten races since her debut was merely a single second-place finish.
Seeing her entered in the Yorkshire Oaks left him genuinely puzzled.
"Wouldn't entering an Uma Musume without sufficient ability into a G1 race damage her confidence?"
Shuta frowned. No matter the circumstances, he would never make such a decision himself.
The next Uma Musume, however, immediately commanded his full attention.
My Emma.
After all, she was last year's Prix Vermeille winner. More importantly, her racing style was strikingly similar to Mejiro Dober's.
That meant there was a significant chance the two would directly interfere with one another during the race.
If the pace suited Mejiro Dober, it would likely suit My Emma as well.
As a result, Shuta believed there was a high probability that the final stretch of this year's Yorkshire Oaks would become a direct one-on-one duel between My Emma and Mejiro Dober.
Finally, there was Whitewater Affair.
Fresh off a victory in a French G2 race, she was also the only confirmed front-runner among the prospective field.
For that reason, Shuta went out of his way to review every race she had ever contested, carefully recording the pace she established in each one.
When he finally finished, the young man let out a long breath of relief.
"It looks like she still prefers setting a slower pace. In that case, there's no need to worry about Dober being dragged out of her comfort zone."
Having completed the most basic stage of information gathering, Shuta Trainer glanced at the clock.
It was already past one in the morning.
"I told Dober to get plenty of rest, yet I'm the one staying up late again."
The young man laughed at himself before shutting down his computer.
Rising from his desk, he headed toward the bathroom, intending to take a quick shower before bed.
"Tonight in the Dream World, I'll be heading to Newmarket Racecourse for the July Cup, Britain's most prestigious sprint G1. This time I'll once again be riding one of Mr. André Fabre's horses."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"At the King's Stand Stakes, Thierry Jarnet and I shared the glory of victory. But this time—"
The young man's eyes sharpened with anticipation.
"I want to savor the taste of victory alone."
(A little confusion here and information regarding chapter 55. Actually, this Thierry Jarnet was named Tony Piccone as my preconception of the original; for several chapters before Tony Piccone was the jockey. The problem is these horses was ridden by different Jockey, for example in King's Stand Stakes referring to chapter 55 the one who share Shuta's victory was Walter Swinburn riding Elbio. Meanwhile, Dernier Empereur was ridden by Thierry Jarnet in real history; in addition, in this July Cup, Shuta is going to face Thierry Jarnet again. So for chapter 55, I am sorry for the wrong name. )
That year, Shuta had learned from the lessons of the previous season. Instead of enduring the exhausting route of Sapporo–Tokyo–Dublin–London, he booked their flights well in advance, allowing them to travel directly from Sapporo to Manchester before taking the hotel shuttle to York. The simplified itinerary saved them a tremendous amount of time.
Even so, when departure day arrived, Shuta and Mejiro Dober still found themselves leaving the resort while the world remained cloaked in predawn darkness.
Tokai Teio and the others were still sleeping soundly.
"We're not going to say goodbye before we leave?" Mejiro Dober asked, sounding slightly surprised.
"Let's not. We've already said everything that needed to be said over the last two days." Shuta took her hand with his free one. "We should just leave without worries."
"I have absolute confidence in this Yorkshire Oaks."
The declaration came so suddenly that it almost seemed unrelated to the conversation. Yet Shuta Trainer immediately understood why she had said it.
For the past two days, the two of them had spent nearly every free moment analyzing potential rivals together. And the more Mejiro Dober studied those opponents, the more confidence she gained.
To be honest, the field she would face this time was nowhere near as formidable as the Southern Hemisphere competitors she had encountered in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
This time, Mejiro Dober intended to take the trophy home.
—
After arriving at Sapporo Airport via Shinkansen, the pair boarded their flight. Shuta yawned as he headed toward the cabin bedroom.
"Dober, you should get some sleep too. We got up pretty early."
Standing behind him, Mejiro Dober nodded.
"I know. Ann, you should rest as well. If you sleep now, there'll probably only be a few more hours left before we arrive in Manchester."
"It probably won't be that quick."
The young man thought so inwardly, but chose not to say it aloud. Instead, he simply pushed open the private door and stepped inside.
At least one thing was true.
He really was tired.
Over the past two days, he had participated in consecutive G1 races within the Dream World.
First, he had partnered Zieten in the July Cup, replacing Thierry and defeating every rival to secure André Fabre's second July Cup title.
After that, he traveled to Curragh Racecourse and rode Wemyss Bight to victory in the Irish Oaks, capturing his first European Classic victory.
"If I enter the Dream World now, I wonder what time it'll be over there. At least I probably won't have to race."
Muttering to himself, the young man changed into his pajamas and climbed into bed.
—
When Shuta finally woke up, the aircraft was already passing over Eastern Europe.
Rubbing his eyes, he sat up, changed into casual clothes, and headed out to freshen up.
"There are still four hours until landing. Ann really slept for a long time."
Mejiro Dober sat in the lounge, leisurely drinking black tea while watching a television drama. The moment she noticed him emerge, she immediately began teasing him.
"I feel like I won't even need to adjust to the time difference once we reach York."
After washing up, Shuta sat down beside her.
"How long did you sleep?"
Already accustomed to being close to her lover, Mejiro Dober casually handed him a can of cola.
"About four hours. I've already watched two movies since I woke up. Though honestly, Ann slept even longer than I expected."
"This trip to York is different. This time, we're the defender."
Shuta accepted the cola, though he entirely ignored her earlier comment. Opening the can with ease, he took a sip.
"Dober, what are your thoughts regarding the Prix Vermeille afterward?"
"I'll follow Ann's arrangements."
Mejiro Dober honestly wasn't sure what kind of answer he wanted. As far as she was concerned, she truly had no additional requests.
"Then after the Yorkshire Oaks, I'll settle you in Paris before returning to Japan."
Shuta laid out his plans calmly.
"Once I send Teio and the others back to the Academy from Sapporo, I'll finalize Teio's Kikuka Sho training schedule. Then, about half a month before the Prix Vermeille, I'll return to Paris and accompany you while you prepare for the race."
"What about after that?" Mejiro Dober asked. "You've never told me what comes next."
"To avoid excessive travel, my plan is to head to the United States for the Breeders' Cup series."
The young man paused briefly.
"Then the Hong Kong Cup will serve as the conclusion to Dober's racing season."
"Australia. Britain. France. America. Hong Kong. Japan."
Mejiro Dober counted them one by one.
"If we win them all—"
Shuta didn't need to finish the sentence.
She already understood.
A season with G1 victories spanning four continents and six countries would become a legend discussed for years.
"Maybe the domestic media will start calling me the Queen of the World."
Mejiro Dober smiled as she completed the thought for him.
"I have no objections to that arrangement."
Countless times in the past, she had imagined how her career on the Twinkle Series stage would unfold.
Now, however, she was genuinely satisfied with everything she had achieved. And there was one thing she knew with absolute certainty.
Had she never met the young man sitting beside her and reach out to Ramonu-nee and him, none of it would have been possible.
So we have to keep moving forward.
With that thought, Mejiro Dober quietly wrapped both hands around his wrist.
—
When Shuta and Mejiro Dober arrived at Manchester Airport, the local time was already 11:30 in the morning.
"We should reach the hotel around lunchtime."
Glancing at the clock on his phone, which had already adjusted to local time, Shuta continued.
"For the next week, Dober can focus entirely on recovery. There's no need to visit the training track. Light workouts in the gym will be enough."
"I understand."
Mejiro Dober nodded.
"I'll gradually return my condition to normal training levels over the course of the week."
"I still haven't decided on next year's schedule."
Walking ahead, Shuta spoke his thoughts aloud.
"To be honest, from my perspective, domestic racing would be the easiest option. There'd be no need to constantly worry about travel arrangements and overseas preparations."
He shook his head.
"But for Dober, the first half of the Japanese calendar only offers races like the Yasuda Kinen and the Takarazuka Kinen. The gap between them isn't even particularly long. If we stay in Japan, it'd basically be wasting her potential."
"You don't need to explain that to me."
Mejiro Dober quickened her pace, caught up in a few steps, and naturally hooked her arm through his.
"I've never once considered traveling around the world for overseas campaigns to be a hardship."
"But since your debut, I've practically brought your idol and artist activities to a complete stop."
Shuta turned his head toward her.
"I'm not saying this as your Trainer. I'm saying it as your lover. Honestly, I feel a little guilty."
"Hmph, hmph~"
Mejiro Dober puffed her nose proudly and hummed twice.
"Don't think so much."
Then she looked at him sideways.
"And if you really feel that guilty—"
A mischievous smile appeared at the corner of her lips.
"Then don't run away tonight."
The young man's mouth twitched several times. For a rare moment, even Shuta found himself completely at a loss for words.