Chapter 67. Nobody Wanted Part 2
While Mejiro Dober and Shuta An were chatting, Tokai Teio maintained her position, gradually entering Swinley Bottom.
This is the official name for the first sharp bend of Ascot Racecourse's 2400-meter track. From the starting gate to here is approximately 600 meters, and the entire stretch is downhill, making it particularly easy to run. However, the next 1800 meters of the race will not have such comfortable terrain; it can be said to be entirely uphill.
"The main endurance consumption occurs in the part of the race after turning out of this bend." Said the GreenChannel commentator.
"Although the continuous uphill sections look a bit daunting, the pace is actually quite manageable, isn't it?"
Rice Shower knew that she would definitely have to compete at Ascot Racecourse like her senior in the future.
The G1 turf 4000-meter major race, the Ascot Gold Cup, held at this Racecourse, has a history of over 200 years, making it one of Europe's oldest races.
Rice Shower knew, without Shuta An needing to tell her, that this was a G1 she would inevitably challenge in the future.
"The pace is indeed very slow. If such a rhythm were set at a Racecourse in our country, the Uma Musumes behind would generally be eager to accelerate and snatch the leading position. But now, it seems the European Uma Musumes are all quite satisfied with this pace."
Mayano Top Gun shook her head.
"However, this pace is actually very comfortable for Tokai Teio, isn't it? Adapting to a new track for the first race is quite difficult, and a slower rhythm allows Tokai Teio to perform better."
"Something doesn't seem right."
Admire Vega, who had been intently staring at the television screen, suddenly spoke.
"Hm?"
Mayano Top Gun hummed, looking at Admire Vega with some puzzlement.
"The leading Uma Musume seems to have accelerated."
Kurofune added at this point.
"She does seem to be accelerating, gradually widening the gap with Tenby in second place behind her. Is this a prelude to a change in pace?"
Rice Shower murmured to herself.
—
Spectators with an overall view noticed User Friendly's change earlier than the Uma Musumes on the track.
Whiteley's face had already darkened.
"What is she doing? Control the pace! Why accelerate here? User Friendly, do you think you're running a 1600-meter race?"
His nagging couldn't reach User Friendly's ears, and the other Trainers around him couldn't hear Whiteley's complaints over the cheers of the spectators in the stands. But everyone noticed his expression.
"It looks like User Friendly's sudden acceleration wasn't Whiteley's pre-race instruction, but User Friendly's own willful decision."
Stoute muttered to himself.
"Now, the anticipated race development is going to become incredibly chaotic."
"The increased speed is clearly advantageous for Tokai Teio. Did User Friendly take a bribe?"
White Muzzle's Trainer, Drop Ham, frowned deeply.
"If she does this, Tokai Teio will find her accustomed good rhythm, while White Muzzle, who is following in the lead, will fall into a state of indecision—White Muzzle, you must keep up with Tokai Teio."
However, Shuta An, holding Mejiro Dober's hand, did not appear as happy as Whiteley and others might have expected after noticing User Friendly's pace. Instead, he frowned just like them.
"There's no reason to accelerate on an uphill section—What is User Friendly doing? Just maintain a slow pace and let Tokai Teio unleash her final burst in the final straight!"
The young man slightly tightened his grip on Mejiro Dober's hand.
"That's strange."
Mejiro Dober said, feeling the pressure on her hand.
"But perhaps this is User Friendly's pre-race tactic? She wants to wear down Tokai Teio's stamina by changing the pace."
"Whiteley wouldn't go so far as to doubt Tokai Teio's judgment, would he?"
Shuta An, for one, didn't believe that guess.
"You can't say for sure."
In Mejiro Dober's eyes, all the overseas Trainers combined were not as good as her lover.
—
After User Friendly quickened her pace, Tokai Teio, who was turning into the bend, quickly noticed this.
Tenby and Desert Team both followed suit and began to accelerate. After a few dozen meters, the three of them had opened up a two-body length gap between themselves and Tokai Teio, who was maintaining her original cruising speed.
"There are still over 1700 meters to the finish line. Starting to accelerate here, trying to trick me into expending more stamina?"
Tokai Teio immediately made a judgment, choosing to suppress the impulse and continue maintaining her original cruising speed.
Opera House, who was almost neck and neck with Tokai Teio on the inside, saw that Tokai Teio had no intention of chasing User Friendly. Not knowing what to do, she chose to directly copy Tokai Teio's approach.
"I'll just keep cruising too. It's still quite far to the finish line, so accelerating now to close the gap probably isn't necessary."
Opera House decided.
And White Muzzle, seeing this, followed suit and stopped her acceleration preparations.
"Tokai Teio and Opera House aren't in a hurry, so I don't need to be either."
In White Muzzle's view, she and these two Uma Musumes were at the same level. Therefore, using the same tactics before entering the final straight could effectively put the three of them in similar situations, and even give White Muzzle a certain advantage because her starting gate was the innermost.
Drop Ham squinted, staring at White Muzzle's figure on the big screen.
"She chose the most correct way to handle it; she still used her brain."
After the three strongest Uma Musumes tacitly chose to maintain their original slow pace, the other Uma Musumes behind them also settled down. This is the influence that strong competitors can exert in a race.
—
User Friendly didn't pay attention to how her opponents behind her handled it.
After turning into the second straight, she chose to keep accelerating for the first half of the stretch, opening up a lead of eight body lengths over Opera House in fourth place. But after entering the second half, User Friendly, feeling that her stamina reserves might be running low, chose to return to a cruising state, decelerating to recover her energy.
This is also a standard pace-deception tactic, easily making opponents believe that User Friendly didn't slow down after quickening the pace.
But User Friendly misjudged one thing: Tokai Teio's familiarity with leading Uma Musume tactics.
"I've been taught many times by Suzuka-senpai how to deal with pace deception during training."
Tokai Teio muttered to herself, looking at User Friendly's back ahead.
"However, there are still 1000 meters left to the finish line. Considering the turf and terrain here, I'll let her continue to run like this for now. I'll shatter all her tactical intentions once we turn into the final straight."