Chapter 95. UAE's Major Race Planning
On Tuesday evening, the Hong Kong URA Association's welcome party was scheduled to be held at Sha Tin Racecourse, not far from the hotel.
This, however, did not affect Silence Suzuka's low-intensity training planned for that morning.
"Tomorrow will be the last high-intensity training session," Shuta An reminded her after practice, handing Silence Suzuka a towel. "So once we return to the hotel tonight, remember to rest early."
Silence Suzuka took the towel but did not wipe her sweat right away. Instead, she nodded solemnly. "I will rest early."
Then she looked at him with concern. "Trainer, you should rest early too. You were yawning during the jog earlier. You slept very late last night, didn't you?"
Faced with her question, Shuta An let out an awkward laugh and said nothing.
—There was no way he could answer.
Was he supposed to tell her that he had been on a voice call with Oguri Cap until dawn? That even when he finally fell asleep, the gray Uma Musume had insisted he not hang up the LINE call?
In the end, Shuta An had drifted off to sleep to the sound of Oguri Cap's steady breathing—
Because he would be attending the welcome party that evening, Shuta An skipped dinner before heading to Sha Tin Racecourse.
Silence Suzuka, on the other hand, grabbed a piece of bread to tide herself over.
After the celebration party following the Breeders' Cup Series in Florida, she had learned a valuable lesson: parties were, in essence, just parties—there was usually very little actual food.
This time, she came prepared.
Shuta An offered no comment. Even if there truly wasn't much to eat at the venue, he planned to have dinner back at the hotel afterward. Still, he wondered briefly whether the Hong Kong URA Association would really be as stingy as Miesque—or perhaps not.
Upon arriving at Sha Tin Racecourse, Shuta An stepped out of the car, walked around, and opened the door for Silence Suzuka, extending his empty left hand in a courteous gesture.
Silence Suzuka carefully stepped down from the car.
After Shuta An closed the door, she placed her right hand into his left palm.
His expression remained calm as he gently curled his fingers around her hand.
"Let's go," he said evenly, glancing sideways at the blushing Uma Musume.
Silence Suzuka did not pull her hand away. However, as they approached the main entrance and noticed the presence of numerous reporters inside, she cautiously withdrew it.
Shuta An did not try to stop her. He understood. So, with a composed smile on his face, he stepped slightly ahead of her and entered the venue first.
The welcome party had yet to officially begin, but many guests were already present.
A quick glance showed people chatting everywhere. Shuta An shook his head helplessly—there was nowhere quiet to be found.
"Suzuka," he said to the Uma Musume beside him, "you're free to move around now. If you need me, I'll be in the southwest corner of the venue, near the drink bar."
"Okay~" Silence Suzuka replied obediently. "But Trainer, don't drink too much alcohol."
"I know my limits," Shuta An smiled. "I won't touch alcoholic drinks."
After parting ways, he threaded through the crowd and made his way to the drink bar.
Given the number of guests, the Hong Kong URA Association had prepared an impressive selection of beverages. Shuta An hesitated for a moment before deciding to try a classic Hong Kong specialty.
Holding a cup of milk tea, he stood quietly in a corner near the bar, coldly observing the lively venue as if he were an outsider.
Before long, however, the local URA Association president stepped onto the stage and delivered nearly half an hour of "a few words" in an extremely "concise" manner. Only then did the welcome party officially begin.
During that time, Shuta An finished one cup of milk tea, two cups of lemon tea, and a coffee.
"Just drinking these alone is enough to fill me up," he muttered.
As he returned to the drink bar and reached for another glass of juice, a second hand reached for the same glass.
Shuta An paused, then casually switched targets.
It's all apple juice anyway. No difference.
"Tha↑nk↑ you↑."
An oddly accented voice sounded beside him.
Shuta An turned his head and met the gaze of the man who had made the same choice.
It was a young man dressed in traditional Arabian attire.
"You're welcome," Shuta An replied politely. He then prepared to introduce himself. "Hello, nice to meet you. My name is—"
"I know you," the other party interrupted calmly. "Mr. Shuta. I attended the Prix du Jockey Club the year before last. You left a very deep impression on me."
After speaking, the Arabian man bowed slightly. "My name is Sheikh Rashid bin Dalmouk Al Maktoum. I am currently the chairman of the Dubai URA Association."
Dubai was, of course, a famous city. More than twenty years ago, rich oil reserves had been discovered nearby, and the local economy had flourished ever since.
But when it came to Uma Musume racing, Dubai was hardly a major player.
As chairman of the Dubai URA Association, Sheikh Rashid bin Dalmouk Al Maktoum was not a particularly prominent figure within the industry.
Even so, Shuta An returned the bow courteously. "It's a pleasure to meet you."
What surprised him was just how well-informed the man was.
Sheikh Rashid could even recount the chance encounter between Shuta An and Miesque at Gulfstream Park Racecourse—an incident later exposed by the media.
"This really surprises me…" A faint sense of vigilance rose in Shuta An's heart.
He did not believe himself worthy of such attention from a URA Association chairman—especially one from Dubai. No matter how he thought about it, he could not recall any connection to the Middle East.
After a few rounds of casual conversation, a glimmer flashed through Sheikh Rashid bin Dalmouk Al Maktoum's eyes.
"Although it may be somewhat presumptuous," he said suddenly, "there is a question I would like to ask Mr. Shuta."
"Hm?" Shuta An's body stiffened slightly.
Here it comes.
An alarm rang in his mind, his nerves tightening instantly.
"What kind of question?" he asked cautiously.
"Mr. Shuta led his team to America for an expedition in the latter half of this year, so I believe you must have heard the name 'Gulf War,'" Al Maktoum did not voice his doubts directly, instead circling around the topic.
"If this is about politics, I'm afraid I can't take part in the discussion," Shuta An took a half step back. "Please forgive me. As an Uma Musume Trainer, I have no interest in matters outside my professional field. I can't be responsible for opinions in areas I don't understand—but I must be responsible for myself and for the Uma Musume I train."
"No, no, no. It's not a political topic, I promise. Mr. Shuta, please don't be nervous," Al Maktoum replied quickly. His smile remained gentle, his tone easing. "This is merely background context. There's no need to worry."
"As you know, this war—which has yet to truly end—has profoundly affected the situation in the Middle East. Although the United States has promised a swift conclusion, and although we are willing to believe that Saddam will retreat after being taught a lesson—some things have already been lost,"
Al Maktoum sighed deeply, melancholy surfacing in his expression. "For instance, the international image of Middle Eastern countries. Even though we stood on the side of justice and openly condemned Saddam's aggression, survey data shows that our international image—particularly that of the UAE—has suffered severe damage."
"I'm not a specialist in international relations," Shuta An said cautiously. Though he felt some sympathy for Al Maktoum—who had been swept up in the storm—he knew better than to offer advice in a field he did not understand. Careless words here would only make him sound foolish.
"Our Dubai URA Association was established just a month ago," Al Maktoum continued, finally steering the conversation toward familiar ground. "The intention of our President in founding this organization is to rebuild our international image through the Twinkle Series and the Dream Trophy Series."
"That's…an extremely difficult undertaking," Shuta An said frankly. He understood his own profession well. For the UAE, this path would not be easy. Local Uma Musume had no history of participating in official races. Unless they went abroad and registered overseas, Uma Musume born in the UAE effectively had no future within the Twinkle Series at all.
"So…" Shuta An hesitated slightly.
Was Al Maktoum hoping he would provide "technical assistance" for developing local Uma Musume?
If that was the case, then no matter what kind of remuneration was offered—even something beyond imagination—Shuta An would refuse without hesitation. He still had Uma Musume in Tokyo who needed him. That was something he could never abandon.
"Our preliminary plans for the Twinkle Series and Dream Trophy Series are already in place," Al Maktoum said, his earlier gloom vanishing in an instant. "They are scheduled to begin in the latter half of next year, spanning the New Year and concluding at the end of March the following year. On the final day of the season, we intend to model it after the American Breeders' Cup Series and hold multiple races on that single day."
"That's a solid concept," Shuta An nodded.
"However, there is no unified opinion within our association regarding race planning," Al Maktoum said, pausing deliberately. "Some believe that, given our climate, focusing solely on dirt races would be sufficient."
From his tone, it was obvious he did not agree with that stance.
"If a high-standard turf course could be constructed in the desert," Shuta An said, following Al Maktoum's train of thought, "that alone would be enough to demonstrate the UAE's strength and sincerity to the world."
"Exactly!" Al Maktoum broke into a broad grin. "That's precisely what I think as well. Mr. Shuta, our views truly align."
"After all," Shuta An continued, "when it comes to the Twinkle Series and Dream Trophy Series, the United States dominates dirt racing, while Europe and Asia place far greater emphasis on turf. If your goal is to attract global attention, then hosting both dirt and turf races would be far more effective."
"Indeed," Al Maktoum nodded. "Then regarding race composition—what are your thoughts, Mr. Shuta?"
Although Shuta An faintly sensed that this was not the man's real question, he still considered it carefully before answering.
"I don't know when the UAE plans to schedule its Derby," he said slowly. "But if it were up to me, I would place the UAE Derby on that final major race day. It would naturally draw the most attention."
"Although Derbies are traditionally 2400 meters on turf, based on what you've said, the UAE's Twinkle Series should still lean toward dirt. In that case, the UAE Derby should also be a dirt race. Referring to the American Triple Crown structure, setting it within the 1800–2000 meter range would be very reasonable."
"Short-distance races are, of course, essential—both dirt and turf. The most classic sprint distance is 1200 meters. For dirt, a mile race should also be included. Setting it at 1600 meters wouldn't be an issue."
"And turf?" Al Maktoum asked with interest. "Does turf not require a mile race as well?"
"If the goal is differentiation from the Breeders' Cup Series, then simple imitation won't work," Shuta An replied. "Instead of a 1600-meter turf race, it would be better to include an ultra-long-distance turf race—around two miles, or 3200 meters. The Breeders' Cup lacks such an event. A classic 2400-meter turf race is, of course, indispensable. In that case, a 2000-meter turf race becomes redundant."
He paused, eyes suddenly lighting up.
"Why not make it 1800 meters instead? That would attract milers looking to stretch their distance, as well as middle-distance runners who struggle at 2400 meters. It would appeal to both groups. Moreover, there are very few 1800-meter turf G1 races worldwide. If there truly are Uma Musume uniquely suited to that distance, it would be a perfect opportunity for them."
"Finally, the headline race of the day must be a dirt event. There's no need to worry about clashing with the Breeders' Cup—2000 meters on dirt is the most classic distance. Which means the UAE Derby itself should probably not be set at 2000 meters." Shuta An muttered to himself briefly. "Perhaps 1900 meters would be better."
He then smiled apologetically. "Sorry. I got a little carried away."
"That's quite all right," Al Maktoum laughed. "I've taken note of everything you said, and I find it extremely reasonable."
He then smoothly changed the subject.
"If the races are arranged in this way, would Mr. Shuta be willing to bring the Uma Musume you train to participate in our major race day next year?"
"Of course," Shuta An replied without hesitation.
The word 'wealth' is indispensable to the UAE's international image, he thought. Since this race day was meant to reshape that image, the prize money would undoubtedly be generous. Moreover, his proposed structure would allow Silence Suzuka to compete in the 1800-meter turf race. There were no suitable G1 races in Japan around March anyway—so flying to the Middle East to "dig for oil" made perfect sense.
"If everyone were as easy to talk to as Mr. Shuta, things would be wonderful," Al Maktoum said warmly. He paused, then added, "I have one more request. Would Mr. Shuta be willing to lobby the West Coast Tracen Academy to send Uma Musume to participate in our major race day next year? Naturally, your efforts will be rewarded."
Although he didn't know the exact form that reward would take, Shuta An quickly realized it would likely involve coordination with the Secretariat.
So that's it—No wonder he approached me. He knows I have influence there.
Seeing the subtle changes in Shuta An's expression, Al Maktoum knew his intentions had been fully understood.
"According to our plan," he added promptly, "the selection of participants will follow a Japan Cup–style invitation system. All travel expenses to Dubai for each invited Uma Musume, along with her teammates and Trainer, as well as accommodation and related costs, will be fully covered by us."
He then emphasized, "And I guarantee that as long as Mr. Shuta successfully persuades the West Coast, I will reserve a slot for you in every race, every year. The nomination will be yours. As long as the Uma Musume you recommend is qualified to compete in a major race in Japan, an invitation letter will certainly be issued."
The terms offered were, in effect, a fully upgraded version of the proposal Miesque had once made on behalf of Secretariat.
Shuta An thought for a moment, adopting a contemplative posture, before finally nodding.
"I'll try," he said. "But I can't promise success. Given the current situation, the Middle East's image isn't exactly reassuring to American Uma Musume."
"But the UAE will absolutely guarantee the safety of all Uma Musume," Sheikh Rashid bin Dalmouk Al Maktoum declared firmly. "And I believe that man wouldn't be reckless enough to lay a hand on them."