"Are you confirming your entry?"
The call came from the Goodwood Cup, one of Europe's handful of top-tier G1 long-distance races. A member of the race committee was making the final inquiry.
Platinum, phone in hand, answered immediately.
"Yes, I'm entering the race."
She had her eyes on the Goodwood Cup for a long time and had submitted her application early.
This was the final confirmation.
So, it's finally about to begin?
"Understood. We are now finalizing Miss Platinum's entry."
"The Goodwood Cup awaits the Pegasus's descent!"
The voice, which should have been perfectly neutral, carried a thread of barely concealed anticipation. After all, race officials must naturally maintain impartiality; the most they usually say is something like… "We look forward to your participation."
But this time—it was "awaits the Pegasus's descent!"
It was as if they couldn't wait to see if Platinum could recreate the miracle of her victory at Australia's pinnacle sprint race.
"Only natural."
The silver-white maiden responded coolly to what was clearly a staff member who was also a fan, then ended the call.
Looking back at her phone, Platinum murmured to herself with keen interest.
"So the Goodwood Cup is finally here."
"Let's see…"
She opened the official race website and found the information for the Goodwood Cup. It included details about the prestigious long-distance G1 event, past champions, and the current list of entrants…
When Platinum clicked on the past champions and saw the top entry, her expression shifted subtly.
Because for three rows in a row!
The display looked almost bugged, repeating the same entry over and over!
Goodwood Cup, 1st Place, Stradivarius.
Goodwood Cup, 1st Place, Stradivarius.
Goodwood Cup, 1st Place, Stradivarius.
It's her!
It's her!
It's her again!
In the sparse landscape of G1 long-distance races, where powerhouses roam but true long-distance specialists often avoid clashing, frequent champion turnover is the norm.
If winning two G1 titles in middle-distance or mile races is usually required to earn domineering titles like 'Uma Musume King' or 'Monarch,' then in long-distance racing, winning just one major race is often enough to be crowned a long-distance king!
This speaks volumes about the prestige and intense competition in this division.
But the Goodwood Cup winners' list Platinum was looking at had been swept by Stradivarius alone for three consecutive years.
She single-handedly claimed this highly prestigious, top-tier long-distance G1 title!
Three years ago, the Goodwood Cup champion was Stradivarius!
Two years ago, the Goodwood Cup champion was still Stradivarius!
Last year, the Goodwood Cup champion remained her.
One individual, dominating for three years!
She had suppressed tens of thousands of long-distance Uma Musume across all of Europe for a full three years! Shattering the record for consecutive wins in a major long-distance G1 race.
A record of such terrifying weight, it was no wonder the outside world praised her as 'The Longest River.'
And Stradivarius, holder of the record for most consecutive Goodwood Cup wins, still hadn't retired. Still maintaining excellent form, she was embarking on her fourth challenge.
As the record-holder and a strong contender for the title of Long-Distance GOAT, Stradivarius was undoubtedly the favorite, the top pick to win! A powerful rival worthy of the challenger Platinum's interest.
"Stradivarius from the Sea family, huh?"
"The Sea family's appearance rate… why is it so high?"
Suddenly, the silver-white girl nearly laughed out loud.
The key, core races for Platinum's assault across sprint, mile, middle-distance, and long-distance were…
Australia's The Everest against Black Caviar.
The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe against Sea the Stars.
And next, the upcoming… three-time champion Stradivarius in the Goodwood Cup!
The future Queen Anne Stakes against Frankel.
Out of these four races, except for the sprint race which Europe didn't pay much mind to, the other three… all her strongest rivals were from the Sea family.
"By that count, a whopping seventy-five percent chance of running into one of the Sea family's fillies?"
"Some insane matchmaking system, piling on the difficulty for me."
In the eyes of the outside world, among the rivals Platinum had already faced or was slated to face in those four races, every single one was among the most elite, the top-tier powerhouses of their respective divisions in the last half-century.
And the Pegasus, Platinum, had run into every single one of them!
Was this fortune, or misfortune? Or perhaps… a bit of both.
"If only my gacha rates were this high."
The expression on the great Platinum's face was subtly complex as she let out a soft sigh.
But the next moment, in Platinum's cool eyes, besides laziness and resignation, there was also a flicker of fighting spirit.
Since her mission schedule was already counting down!
Even including the turf race at the nearby American Breeders' Cup, that was only a mere three races left.
Not many at all.
Having won so many already, what remained was simply winning three more!
"Just a bit of wind and frost."
The lazy Pegasus lady immediately navigated back and clicked on the latest [Goodwood Cup Entry List].
After she opened it, she saw the newly confirmed participants and the popularity poll.
Typically, race officials used these external popularity polls to encourage fans to support their favorite Uma Musume, determining the popularity order and identifying the favorites.
And what Platinum saw was…
--+--
[1st Popularity: Platinum]
[2nd Popularity: Stradivarius]
[3rd Popularity: Kyprios]
--+--
She was still number one?!
Moreover, the popularity among the top three was exceptionally close, the gaps between them all less than 10%!
This situation meant there was no single [Sole Favorite] who stood out from the entire field.
Even the super champion Stradivarius, who had dominated the Goodwood Cup for three straight years, could only manage second place! How utterly unbelievable!!
Platinum tilted her head slightly in surprise.
Her own popularity… as a non-European Uma Musume, and a first-time challenger in a long-distance race, could it really be this high?
--+--
Europe, at a large training ground.
The chestnut-haired Sea the Stars watched a sleek, tall figure speeding across the track, observing the training of an Uma Musume from her own family.
Sea the Stars had always gotten along quite well with Stradivarius.
The exceptionally talented Sea the Stars had mentored Stradivarius before, and they both shared the same chestnut coat…
Because of this, Stradivarius called Sea the Stars 'Sister Star.'
It's worth noting that for Uma Musume, training grounds are usually shared in most cases.
But sometimes there are exceptions. For instance, the top-tier elites might have stricter requirements, like replicating race-day conditions in their training environment.
Or, spending extra resources to simulate a heavy turf course for specific training or practice races to improve their performance on such ground.
And Sea the Stars was watching the most famous long-distance specialist within the Sea family, the monster known for her extreme self-discipline—Stradivarius—as she flew across the track.
This course, specially prepared for Stradivarius, closely resembled the Goodwood Cup track, allowing her to acclimatize and adapt to the battlefield she would soon face to the greatest extent.
"Truly worthy of being called a monster crowned with titles like [Strong Contender for Long-Distance GOAT] and [The Longest River]."
"Such meticulousness and steadiness are almost frightening."
Sea the Stars gazed at Stradivarius, a figure like a gust of wind, light and swift, every stride revealing her perfect control over speed and endurance.
Stradivarius had a tall, slender build with long limbs, giving her a natural advantage in long-distance races. Her legs seemed born for running, each step firm and powerful, displaying an incredible stride and rhythm.
Her lean frame didn't diminish her strength; instead, it made her appear more agile and flexible in the long run. Her long hair flowed like a waterfall, flying in the wind like a banner unfurled!
As a fellow Sea family Uma Musume, Sea the Stars knew exactly how much preparation and effort Stradivarius put into her races.
Even around the time of the Australian pinnacle race, Stradivarius had a premonition that she would be hunted by that silver-white Pegasus, and so she began unprecedented special training for the Goodwood Cup.
"Truly deserving of being the three-time consecutive Goodwood Cup champion!"
"Already incredibly strong, and with the greatest home-field advantage, perhaps Stradivarius really has a chance of defeating Platinum?"
But this Goodwood Cup wouldn't be easy.
Because in the last long-distance G1 race, the Ascot Gold Cup, that super dark horse Kyprios… had already squarely defeated even someone as excellent as Stradivarius!
This time, Stradivarius's opponents included not only that dark horse, but also Kyprios, who had already beaten her!
In terms of pure current ability, many now believed Kyprios to be a long-distance monster surpassing even Stradivarius, the peak performance among long-distance Uma Musume.
Unlike 'The Longest River,' if one were to describe Kyprios, it would be… 'The Highest Mountain'!
But mountain and river, the next Goodwood Cup… was set at Stradivarius's primary home ground, the absolute home turf she had dominated for three consecutive years!
In Sea the Stars' view, the experienced Stradivarius with her home-field advantage did have a theoretical chance of repelling both the Pegasus Platinum and Kyprios.
After this reflection, Sea the Stars seemed to remember something and picked up her phone.
"Ah, the popularity poll should have started by now."
"Let me see… First place, Platinum?!"
"Ahead of Stradivarius by a bit? For an outsider's popularity to surpass the strongest local… only the Pegasus could pull off something like this, right?"
Then, with interest, she looked at the very bottom of the poll page and saw many comments from fans.
[Platinum! Platinum!! You have to win!]
[Stradivarius! Stradivarius! An unprecedented fourth consecutive win is within reach, you mustn't lose to Kyprios and Platinum!]
[Don't underestimate Kyprios, she's the true dark horse of long distance, she just upset Stradivarius in the Ascot Gold Cup!]
[With these three Uma Musume, whoever wins would be perfectly reasonable.]
[But if I had to choose… I'd go for the super record for the history books. Either Stradivarius's fourth straight win! Or Platinum's conquest of a third major division!]
[I support whoever is stronger. For now, I'll vote for Stradivarius, with her experience and home advantage!]
As Sea the Stars scrolled through the comments…the sound of slowing, approaching footsteps reached her ears.
Stradivarius was jogging over towards her.
"Sister Star, what are you looking at?"
"The poll and comments. Platinum's votes are a bit higher than yours."
"It doesn't matter. I don't need votes. I only need first place."
The tall, slender chestnut-haired girl with bright eyes stated her goal to Sea the Stars with utmost seriousness.
"Sister Star, your grudge… I'll avenge it for you!"
That defeat in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe!
She, Stradivarius, with her home advantage, would avenge Sea the Stars' loss in the Arc!
Hearing this, Sea the Stars crossed her arms and smiled warmly at her taller, leaner family sister.
"Will you win?"
Stradivarius's expression was cool as she responded.
"If the opponent is Platinum, I might have a little trouble."
– A post-training declaration of victory!!
"But… I will win!"
--+--
One day.
A blockbuster interview that swept through the global Uma Musume community was publicly released.
[Who is the strongest long-distance Uma Musume?]
When top contenders were asked 'Who is the strongest in long distance?'—
The first interviewed was the 'Demon of Heavy Ground,' Treve's mentor, Montjeu.
The tall, blonde beauty chuckled lightly as she gave her view.
"Hmm? Kyprios, I suppose."
--+--
Next scene.
[Who is the strongest long-distance Uma Musume?]
Australia's sprint champion Black Caviar was also asked.
"It depends on the situation, but it should be Miss Kyprios."
"Though that's just my personal opinion."
--+--
Next.
The languid young lady of the Sea family, a popular black-haired maiden in European Uma Musume circles, calmly gave her response.
"It should be Miss Kyprios, right?"
But the next moment, she added a longer supplement.
"Though if we count the Pegasus Platinum, the situation might change somewhat."
This entire interview video spread far and wide, becoming known to the public!
--+--
At another training ground.
A similarly somewhat tall and slender young Uma Musume was displaying a flying form full of grace and poise.
Even though it was high-intensity training, with the Goodwood Cup mere days away, only one of 'The Highest Mountain' or 'The Longest River' would still have the absolute confidence to train at this level!
She was Kyprios, one of the currently acknowledged strongest in long distance.
If looking purely at historical achievements, Kyprios had a clear gap in race experience compared to the more seasoned, longer-debuted Stradivarius.
But if looking only at current ability!
Even the most stubborn fans of Stradivarius had to admit that this oddly-named young Uma Musume was the most undisputed monster of the present.
After all, Kyprios had just squarely defeated Stradivarius in their last race, fair and square!
"For the Goodwood Cup… my experience and adaptation definitely can't match Senior Stradivarius. I can't be careless."
"Not to mention, there's also a legendary genius like the Pegasus Platinum!"
Her fighting spirit ignited, Kyprios threw herself back into her pre-race training.
"Bearing the name of the strongest, I cannot lose!"
--+--
America.
Inside a villa.
The current Flightline was in a state of unprecedented joy.
Even though she had won one international G1 race after another in the past, often by impressive margins, earning her extremely high evaluations…
This fiercely competitive monster of a girl, despite having just lost to the Radiant Knight, Nearl, not long ago, was in higher spirits than after any of her past victories.
What an utterly wonderful beginning!
"Dr. Lin has agreed to a ten-day [Summer Training Camp] with me and little Ruffian!"
"Ten days, a full ten days!"
This girl, who outwardly appeared somewhat delicate and elegantly refined, was smiling as she packed her suitcase.
Outside her room door, two suitcases were already placed. Flightline was preparing a third.
"Hmm, this one's nice too."
"Can't forget the winner's underwear, and also… white stockings, black stockings, they might all be single-use items anyway."
Muttering to herself, Flightline didn't know how long she had been preparing.
Finally—
Another heavy, fully stuffed suitcase was packed and ready.
The suitcase, which an ordinary adult might find strenuous to lift, was picked up effortlessly by the seemingly delicate Flightline.
"Good, the preparations are finally about done…"
"Now, it's time to give Dr. Lin a proper reminder."
As the Uma Musume who first detected Sham, that 'thieving cat,' had successfully made a move under the guise of [Guidance Training], Flightline's sense of smell was quite sharp.
And shortly after losing the Pacific Classic Stakes, which almost completely dashed her chances of surpassing Secretariat and Man o' War…
Only a few days later, Flightline immediately teamed up with her ally Ruffian and secured a forthcoming [Summer Training Camp] with Dr. Lin, further proof of her swift reactions!
On the track!
Off the track!
Flightline's cunning was top-tier!
"Ah, right, mustn't make the same mistake Sham did."
Actually, Flightline's move of inviting them to a summer training camp…in a way, owed some thanks to Sham.
It was the flaw Sham exposed, Dr. Lin Anran's suspicious disappearance for a few days, that alerted Flightline to something amiss.
So Flightline made a similar invitation, the only difference being it was extended from one week of guidance training to a longer, week-and-a-half summer training camp.
The flaw, however, still remained!
To address this, Flightline had a plan.
The next moment, Flightline dialed Dr. Lin's number.
It's worth noting that as she dialed, she also opened a social media app and sent a picture to Lin Anran.
It was… a picture of plane tickets to Europe.
"Dr. Lin, I've bought plane tickets to Europe for you."
"Please post it in the group chat for Secretariat and the others to see."
On the surface, to watch Platinum's race.
In reality, to have a summer training camp with her!
This was… a covert stratagem!
'Sorry, Secretariat!'
--+--
T/N: With my experience translating this novel, let's check off a few tropes that will definitely happen:
Either Kyprios or Stradivarius will get close to running decently far but lose by more than 10 lengths.
There will be a comment about Daiwa Scarlet's 5 lengths.
There will be a comment about Platinum's domain and wings.
Platinum will repeat her classic 'I will remember you for the rest of my life' line after winning.
Other top uma musume will have 'i am looking forward to racing against you' especially frankel and secretariat.
A comment about the dream cup will be made.
A comment about her being the GOAT, better than eclipse will be made.
An audience switching up on their favorite Uma Musume.
I haven't read ahead, but mark my words, all of these will be there. Ts is why im so sick of translating this fic, but only 50 chaps left… or for the webnovel readers, by the time you're reading this it's probably already done on patreon.
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
There should be... around 70+ advanced chapters?
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.