Chapter 88. Teio's Dissatisfaction
After exchanging a few courteous words with several of his fellow jockeys, Shuta An, thoroughly satisfied with the outcome, slowly guided Rice Shower toward the grandstand.
The moment they reached the stands, he raised his arm high and waved vigorously in the direction where Rice Shower's groom and stable assistants were waiting.
Unable to contain their excitement any longer, the groom and assistants immediately climbed over the railing and hurried toward them.
"Shuta-kun! You're a miracle worker!"
Groom Kawashima exclaimed. Despite his overwhelming excitement, he deliberately kept his voice low, afraid of startling Rice Shower.
"If we can actually win this race, then our next target has to be the Melbourne Cup, right?"
"That's right." Shuta An nodded confidently. "We'll definitely have to shoulder top weight, but Rice Shower will absolutely shine in the Melbourne Cup."
His eyes carried unwavering conviction.
"Just wait until next month. I promise you'll be even happier than you are today."
It wasn't because the Melbourne Cup carried greater prestige than the Prix du Cadran.
Rather, the Prix du Cadran offered only 70,000 francs to the winner, whereas victory in the Melbourne Cup was worth 1.3 million Australian dollars—equivalent to roughly 130 million Japanese yen, an amount that even surpassed the current winner's purse of the Tenno Sho (Spring).
If he and Rice Shower could conquer the Melbourne Cup, the victory might not significantly elevate his future value as a stud—but it would provide enough financial support for his overseas campaign to continue into the following year.
"If one victory isn't enough, then we'll win twice. If twice still isn't enough... then we'll win three times. No matter what, I'll help Rice Shower secure enough capital to enjoy a comfortable retirement."
The young man silently made that promise to himself.
—
The post-race live interview consisted entirely of routine questions. There was nothing particularly difficult about them. Shuta answered each one with practiced ease.
Afterward, he turned back to Groom Kawashima.
"If Trainer Iizuka or the owner calls, just tell them exactly what I said during the interview. Rice Shower will remain in France for a few days to recover before flying directly to Australia."
"I understand!"
Groom Kawashima replied with a firm nod.
Fundamentally, a groom and a jockey stood on the same side. Both were employees within the stable's structure.
The only difference was that a jockey answered directly to the owner during races, while the groom and stable assistants answered primarily to the trainer.
When Shuta An returned to the jockeys' room, his spirits remained remarkably high.
"Leading positions the whole way and still shaking off the challengers to win by a length—"
Thierry said as he walked over with genuine admiration.
"I honestly didn't expect a Japanese horse to display such stamina."
"The pace today was extremely slow," Shuta An replied with a smile. "The stamina requirement wasn't actually as demanding as it looked. Everyone struggled with the heavy ground, which narrowed the differences between the horses. I simply maintained our own rhythm throughout, while Rice Shower showed enough determination to hold on until the finish."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"Marathon races ultimately depend even more on the horse's own ability than most other distances."
"For the Prix Dollar later today," Thierry continued, relaying André Fabre's instructions, "just do your best. Arcangues's current condition is only average. This race isn't our main objective—next month's Breeders' Cup Classic is. A top-five finish there will already satisfy Monsieur Fabre."
"I already said I'd fight for victory in every race I'm given."
Shuta An merely shrugged.
"The Prix Dollar is no exception."
Even so, Arcangues ultimately proved no match for Knife Box.
Despite giving everything he had, Shuta An finished second, beaten by seven lengths.
"It's not that Arcangues couldn't handle today's ground," he explained helplessly to André Fabre afterward. "Knife Box simply adapted to the heavy going much better."
"No explanation is necessary."
Fabre simply shook his head.
"This race was only meant as preparation. Finishing second has already exceeded my expectations."
He looked at the young man with growing confidence.
"To be honest, Mr. Shuta—I'm becoming more and more convinced that you and Arcangues can accomplish something remarkable in this year's Breeders' Cup Classic."
In the day's final graded race—the G3 Prix La Rochette—Shuta An partnered Raindrop to another excellent performance, comfortably finishing second while defeating Shaiybara by six lengths.
It brought a satisfying conclusion to an extremely successful day's riding.
"Tomorrow is what truly matters. I've already won Rice Shower's Prix du Cadran. Now I have to give even more for Tokai Teio's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe."
As memories of today's grueling 4,000-meter slog through Longchamp's heavy turf replayed in his mind—a sudden flash of inspiration struck him.
However, the instant he tried to grasp it, the thought vanished without a trace.
Only an inexplicable feeling of emptiness remained.
Everyone occasionally experienced the frustration of forgetting a brilliant idea the moment it appeared.
Shuta An was no exception.
The lingering sense of loss remained with him even after he awoke the next morning.
"What exactly did I realize back then? Why can't I remember it?"
Even while sorting through Tokai Teio's latest training reports at work, the question continued occupying his thoughts.
Normally, forgotten ideas would return to him sooner or later.
This time, however—no matter how hard he searched, he simply couldn't recover that fleeting moment of inspiration.
—
With just over a month remaining until the Kikuka Sho, Shuta An made an unusual exception that day, allowing Tokai Teio to sleep in a little longer.
Kurofune, Rice Shower, and the others remained gathered inside the activity room, while the young man himself stayed behind after work instead of clocking out.
Tonight—
was the day of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
"Trainer," Kurofune asked curiously, "who do you think will win?"
"Sakhee."
Shuta An answered without the slightest hesitation.
"She demolished this year's International Stakes by seven lengths. Judging from her previous performances, she's particularly suited to power-demanding courses. Longchamp is running on heavy ground today, so I think she'll win the Arc by roughly two lengths."
"Heavy ground, huh..."
Tokai Teio narrowed her eyes ever so slightly. She seemed somewhat dissatisfied by how highly her Trainer was praising a foreign rival.
"Actually," she declared confidently, "I'm very good on heavy ground too."
"But, Teio," Shuta An reminded her gently, "the only slightly heavy track you've experienced so far was the Satsuki Sho. Conditions like today's Longchamp are completely different. Whether you could handle them is still uncertain."
"There's nothing uncertain about it!"
Tokai Teio's ears stood upright.
"Next year—Next year I'll definitely race in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and prove it to you, Trainer!"
Shuta An hadn't expected her to volunteer the idea herself. A smile immediately spread across his face as he seized the opportunity.
"Alright. Then next year's biggest goal will be conquering the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. I'll personally design Teio's entire racing schedule around that objective."
Tokai Teio suddenly had the vague feeling that she had somehow been maneuvered into agreeing to something.
Yet after thinking it over carefully—she couldn't find anything she had actually lost.
So, in the end, she simply nodded in agreement.