Chapter 93. Statement, Implication, and Departure
News of Oguri Cap's withdrawal spread rapidly through every corner of the media. The camp publicly announced that abnormalities had been detected in Oguri Cap's gait, and that the decision to withdraw was made purely for safety considerations.
Although many fans—and even some illegal bettors—were deeply dissatisfied, the explanation was too legitimate to refute. In the end, everyone had no choice but to accept it.
Soon after, however, rumors began circulating.
It was said that Oguri Cap's gait abnormality was not caused by injury, but by a severe decline in condition—and that the reason for this decline was insufficient rest in the week leading up to the race. The alleged culprit behind this lack of rest was NHK's filming crew, who had reportedly conducted unauthorized, around-the-clock filming of Oguri Cap, ultimately pushing her condition to collapse.
NHK immediately denied these allegations.
The JRA, however, chose not to follow up.
Meanwhile, Oguri Cap's main jockey vanished entirely from public view, announcing a temporary leave from work for personal reasons. He did not even appear at the Ritto Training Center. Trainer Setoguchi Tsutomu also refused to comment, stating only that he was acting in accordance with the owner's wishes.
With no answers forthcoming, the dissatisfied public and media redirected their attention—to Shadai Farm.
Yoshida Zenya stood his ground.
He directly convened a coalition of major owners, including the Hirai family (owners of Eishin-prefixed horses), Tsuruken CEO Makoto Kaneko, the Laffian Club, Mejiro Farm, and Sakura Shoji (owners of Sakura-prefixed horses), and together they issued a joint statement.
The statement strongly condemned the actions of certain production teams who, for personal gain, had harmed horses belonging to owners, declaring such conduct "absolutely intolerable."
No names were mentioned. Yet no one failed to understand who the statement was aimed at.
NHK could no longer hold its position.
That said, the JRA lacked the courage to outright "ban" NHK—but it certainly did not dare to oppose a united front of major owners.
After all, the elite horses owned by these factions were all JRA's superstar assets. Any harm to them would be a catastrophic loss.
Moreover, the root cause of the incident was undeniably the error of NHK's production team.
The JRA didn't need to deliberate over which side to stand on. Almost immediately afterward, American media released footage of Shuta An being sighted at Gulfstream Park Racecourse.
In the report, Shuta An stated clearly that he was merely sightseeing—but the reporter added pointedly, "Shuta's tone was meaningful."
Meaningful.
Paired with the owners' joint statement, that single word was enough to ignite rampant speculation among racing enthusiasts.
"The economy is collapsing, and now we're watching horse racing while driving Central's genius jockey to the point of preparing an escape. Japan really is incredible."
At this point, even if NHK wanted to endure, it no longer had the luxury of doing so.
—
In the real world, Shuta An was preparing to accompany Silence Suzuka on her expedition to Hong Kong.
The flight from Tokyo to the Pearl of the Orient took nearly five hours, so the young man deliberately booked an afternoon departure.
"Go straight to the hotel and rest," Shuta An instructed when they met at the entrance of Central Tracen Academy. "There's no need to adjust to a time difference this time. We'll only have one day to rest. Training resumes at Sha Tin Racecourse the day after tomorrow."
Silence Suzuka nodded obediently. "I understand, Trainer. This time, I will strive to end the year with a victory."
"Just do your best," Shuta An replied noncommittally.
The perceptive Uma Musume immediately sensed the nuance in his tone, yet she did not press the matter. She merely followed silently behind him—as befitted her name—and entered the car bound for the airport.
Upon arrival, Shuta An noticed the reporters already waiting and let out a quiet sigh.
"In the Dream World, I gave reporters headaches," he thought. "Yet in the real world, they still have to stake out like this for me—What a strange contrast."
He quickly cast those thoughts aside and stepped forward, positioning himself in front of Silence Suzuka.
"Sorry, but until we return from Hong Kong, Silence Suzuka will be under a complete media blackout. I'll handle all interviews."
The reporters were unwilling. Compared to an Uma Musume, a trainer like Shuta An was simply too experienced—far too difficult to extract explosive headlines from.
Only Uma Musume might accidentally let slip something newsworthy.
Even so, no one dared openly challenge his declaration. His connections and standing were evident; provoking him would only invite unnecessary trouble.
Satisfied, Shuta An nodded, offered a few neutral remarks so the reporters wouldn't leave empty-handed, and led Silence Suzuka into the airport.
"It's getting harder and harder to interview Team Sadalsuud," one reporter muttered while photographing their retreating backs.
"I don't know what Shuta Trainer is so worried about. He always enforces media silence on his team."
"Didn't a Central Uma Musume accidentally expose another Uma Musume's relationship during an interview not long ago?" another chimed in. "That's the kind of scoop we need—but they won't give us anything."
"Being able to get even this much is already lucky."
"At least we have something to report to the editor-in-chief."
The group consoled themselves.
—
In the waiting room, Silence Suzuka spoke for the first time since arriving at the airport.
"Trainer—I will do my best."
"Eh?" Shuta An blinked, startled by the sudden remark.
Silence Suzuka bit her lip and gently placed her left hand over the back of her Trainer's right hand.
"Trainer—can you promise me one thing?"
"One thing?" Shuta An echoed. "What is it?"
"If—if…" Silence Suzuka hesitated. "If I can win the Hong Kong International Cup, will you grant me a reasonable request? One that won't put you in a difficult position."
"Alright," Shuta An agreed without hesitation.
At times like this, as long as the request was not excessive, he would agree. This was an expedition—he could not allow Silence Suzuka to sink into negative emotions.
"Thank you, Trainer."
Silence Suzuka closed her eyes and leaned quietly against the back of the chair, preparing to rest before boarding.
Shuta An turned his head, observing the Uma Musume beside him. Only then did he realize once more—
The usually silent Silence Suzuka, aside from being somewhat "destitute," was, in truth, a standard beautiful girl.
For that brief moment, the clamor of the waiting room faded entirely from Shuta An's awareness.
After arriving in Hong Kong, Shuta An first helped Silence Suzuka organize her luggage before returning to his own room.
"It's only ten o'clock—but it's already time to sleep," the Young man muttered. After showering, he rubbed his eyes, changed into his pajamas, and lay down.
In two days, Silence Suzuka would resume training. Since he had accompanied her on this expedition, it was impossible for him to simply stay in his room all day.
Morning training guidance, afternoon events arranged by the race organizers—just thinking about the schedule made it clear that he would have virtually no free time during this period.
"Fortunately, I prepared formal wear in advance—" Shuta An thought as he checked his luggage. "Suzuka, on the other hand, probably isn't so lucky. She only brought one gown. She'll need to buy a spare later."
He noted it down in his phone, plugged in the charger, pulled the blanket over himself, and closed his eyes.
—
When his consciousness sank into the Dream World, Shuta An found himself back at Ritto Training Center.
In recent days, the spearhead of public opinion had already turned sharply toward NHK.
Yes, NHK was an official organization—but Oguri Cap's popularity had far exceeded their expectations.
In an era of economic downturn, many people who had never followed horse racing before had become spectators, and Oguri Cap—Japan's most-watched Racehorse—had achieved a level of public affection that even his predecessors could scarcely compare to.
Because of NHK's improper operations, Oguri Cap's condition collapsed, forcing his withdrawal from the Japan Cup. That year's title ultimately went to Better Loosen Up from the Southern Hemisphere.
After defending the Japan Cup twice, the "General" was unable to compete—not due to defeat, but due to a television station's recklessness. Anyone witnessing this would curse NHK without hesitation.
And today, Shuta An stood at the entrance of Trainer Setoguchi Tsutomu's stable, raising his eyebrow.
The group blocking his way—judging by their badges—was unmistakably from NHK.
Before they could speak, the Young man struck first.
"Anything you want to say about recent events is meaningless to me," he said coldly. "If you want to explain yourselves, do it to the Shadai Race Horse Club. They're the real victims."
He brushed past them.
"I won't speak on your behalf," Shuta An continued, his voice steady. "Oguri Cap is the most important horse in my jockey career. You hurt him."
He paused.
"It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that you and I now share a deep-seated enmity."
With that, he stepped into the stable.
Today, Oguri Cap would return to the ranch for recuperation. Whether he could participate in the Arima Kinen remained uncertain.
Inside, Assistant Ikee was carefully tidying Oguri Cap's bedding. The stable's owner had stepped out to bathe.
"Shuta-kun, you're here to send Oguri off today, aren't you?" Assistant Ikee asked without turning around, recognizing him by his footsteps.
"That's right," Shuta An nodded. "Trainer Setoguchi said it's uncertain whether he'll be able to run in the Arima Kinen. I was afraid that if I didn't come today, I wouldn't get another chance to see him."
"That won't happen," Assistant Ikee replied decisively. "I know the ranch staff well. He promised me he'd take the utmost care of Oguri Cap and ensure he's in peak condition for the Arima Kinen. He said the same thing last time—and Oguri came back in blazing form."
"In that case, I'm much more at ease," Shuta An said, resting his right hand against the stall door. "I still have some vacation left. I'll probably return to active duty around the week of the Arima Kinen."
"That's exactly the problem," Assistant Ikee complained. "I know you want to shoulder everything yourself, but there's no need to give up so many rides. What about Tokai Teio?"
Shuta An scratched his head. "Trainer Matsumoto said he supports my decision. Tokai Teio's training and race schedule has already been adjusted. He's preparing to debut in a 1800-meter turf New Race at Nakayama during Arima Kinen week."
"I see," Assistant Ikee nodded. "Then we really owe Trainer Matsumoto our thanks. Otherwise, you might have missed a Racehorse like Tokai Teio."
"Indeed," Shuta An agreed. "I'll repay him properly—with results."
"If you ride Tokai Teio to win the Derby next year," Assistant Ikee said cautiously, glancing around, "could you promise me one thing?"
"What is it?" Shuta An felt an odd sense of déjà vu.
"When you accept the victory interview, could you mention Oguri Cap?" Assistant Ikee asked. "His inability to run in the Japanese Derby has always been a great regret of mine." He smiled awkwardly. "If it's inconvenient, forget it. Tokai Teio and Oguri Cap don't have much direct connection, after all."
"No problem at all," Shuta An replied without hesitation. "I promise you—when I win next year's Japanese Derby, I'll proudly speak Oguri Cap's name in front of every reporter."
—
Shuta An awoke and rubbed his eyes, glancing at the clock.
"Five o'clock—Tokyo time would be six. That's normal."
He sat up. "Wash up, breakfast, rest a little. Since I didn't bring any other Uma Musume, I'll personally go out and jog as Suzuka's sparring partner."
If Silence Suzuka ran alone, the recovery effect wouldn't be ideal.
"Giving her that biological clock didn't immediately change things. Her physical maturation still isn't complete," he reflected while washing up. "If she can place top five in the Hong Kong International Cup, she can take a short break next year—target the Sankei Osaka Cup, aim for the Takarazuka Kinen in the first half, and then decide after the Autumn Tenno Sho whether to go overseas or stay domestic."
Having already mapped out most of Silence Suzuka's next year, Shuta An changed into casual clothes and headed to breakfast.
To his surprise, the restaurant was nearly empty. Aside from himself, the only other guest was Silence Suzuka, seated with her back to him.
"You didn't rest well?" Shuta An asked as he sat across from her. "You're up earlier than me. Why not sleep a little longer?"
"I'm in excellent condition," Silence Suzuka replied after swallowing her egg yolk. "This time, I must show a performance worthy of our team. Senior Oguri is too strong—I can't disgrace the name of Team Sadalsuud."
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