Chapter 8. Admire Vega Feels the Pressure
In the real world, Mejiro Dober and Tokai Teio began serious training to deliver their best performance on Dubai World Cup Race Day, while Admire Vega would be pulled around by her Trainer to sightsee after her seniors' training.
Noticing that she was very fond of the carpets in the malls in Dubai, Shuta An simply gave her a small piece of carpet—he could afford a larger one, but for someone like Admire Vega, who hadn't yet truly connected with others, the young man felt that giving an overly expensive gift rashly would only be counterproductive.
And in the Dream World, after seeing off his main partner, Tokai Teio, Shuta An's two most important partners were Rice Shower and Hokuto Vega.
The camps of both horses had also decided to go on an expedition this year, so the young man knew he would be flying around in the Dream World again.
"If Yutaka Take hadn't also insisted on going abroad for training this year, my position as the number one jockey might not be stable,"
Shuta An couldn't help but feel a bit fortunate—as for other jockeys besides Yutaka Take, Shuta An didn't care much; even if their resources were strengthened this year, Shuta An didn't consider Yukio Okabe or others to be his rivals.
Although Rice Shower's first race this year, the G1 3200-meter Sydney Cup at Randwick Racecourse in Australia, was scheduled for mid-April, for error tolerance and to meet Australia's quarantine measures, Rice Shower's camp chose to depart for Australia on March 10th after completing quarantine in Japan.
If his performance in the Sydney Cup wasn't too bad, Iizuka Yoshitsugu even planned to adopt Shuta An's suggestion and stay in Australia to run another G1 3200-meter Adelaide Cup at Flemington Racecourse.
Then he would return home for pasture, followed by preparations for a European ultra-long-distance G1.
To maintain the relationship with Shuta An, Yoshida Katsumi also promised Rice Shower's camp a future stallion contract, so the camp, now free of worries, naturally pursued a race schedule suitable for Rice Shower to compete for honors.
As for Hokuto Vega, she had already gone to the United States in early March.
The Santa Margarita Invitational would, of course, not fail to invite Hokuto Vega, the overseas mare who dominated the Breeder's Cup last year.
After Nakano Takayoshi publicly disclosed Hokuto Vega's first race plan for this year, the event organizers at Santa Anita Park Racecourse immediately sent an invitation to participate.
As Hokuto Vega's Horse Owner, Mori Shigeru was currently in a state of happy dilemma—it was human nature for him to hope that Hokuto Vega could stay in Japan for breeding, but on the other hand, ranches in the United States had also made tentative offers, wanting to buy Hokuto Vega.
Although the American industry believed that Sky Beauty's defeat at the Breeder's Cup last year was just an accident, what if it wasn't an accident?
Could it be that Hokuto Vega's strength was greater than that of a Triple Tiara mare?
If Hokuto Vega could be acquired in advance while everyone was still in doubt, as long as her achievements were proven not to be mere luck but genuine strength, the ranches in the United States would definitely make a huge profit.
Mori Shigeru had consulted Shuta An on this matter, but the young man offered no opinion.
This was not something for him to comment on.
However, there was one thing Shuta An needed to do—one week before Dubai World Cup Race Day in the real world, Hokuto Vega was scheduled to compete in the Santa Margarita Invitational.
After Hokuto Vega's entry, the organizers of this 1800-meter mare-only G1 race secured a new sponsor, so they simply announced an increase in prize money, with the winner's prize reaching 300,000 US dollars.
"Now we have to win even more,"
Shuta An said with a smile to Nakano Takayoshi, who was taking him to the airport on the way to the United States,
"We need to earn 15,000 US dollars back for Trainer Nakano."
"Then I'll add a bit more myself, and I can consider getting a new car," Nakano Takayoshi also smiled, "I'll have to trouble Shuta-kun with the car replacement."
"Don't worry,"
Shuta An patted his chest, full of confidence.
Honestly, Hokuto Vega was, in a sense, paving the way for Kurofune in the real world.
In the race plan Shuta An set for Hokuto Vega, several of the racetracks were ones he wanted to understand better, and also ones that Kurofune was very likely to challenge in the future.
But even as a "test subject," Shuta An was unwilling to slack off.
The young man deeply remembered the words King Halo cried out to her Trainer,
"Our racing career as an Uma Musume is only once in a lifetime!"
"No matter if it's the real world or the Dream World, I have many chances, but they truly only have one chance."
—
Early the next morning, Admire Vega, who had expected to sleep in, was pulled out of her bedroom by Teio, who had been instructed by her Trainer.
"Today, Admire Vega will be training with us again~" Tokai Teio's tone was light.
Anyone who sees themselves training diligently while a junior in the team gets to wander around with the Trainer would naturally have some thoughts.
However, upon seeing the groggy Admire Vega, Tokai Teio instantly felt refreshed.
She felt that she could now run 3200 meters on the turf of Meydan Racecourse—Shuta An naturally wouldn't let her do that, so it was all just a fantasy.
During the half-month or so that Tokai Teio and Mejiro Dober had been in pre-race preparation, other overseas Uma Musume participants also arrived in the UAE, and Meydan Racecourse gradually became lively.
And Admire Vega had been feeling increasing pressure recently—every other day, Shuta An would call her name to go to Meydan Racecourse and participate in some low-intensity training.
Although Admire Vega could feel that she seemed to have become much stronger than before arriving in the UAE, many overseas Uma Musume and Trainers around her would scrutinize her.
Admire Vega was still young and always felt uncomfortable.
"Why is everyone staring at me?"
Admire Vega couldn't help but ask her Trainer, who was walking in front of her, 11 days before Dubai World Cup Race Day.
Teio wanted to retort, wondering if Admire Vega was overthinking things; with so many Uma Musume training at Meydan Racecourse, how could they all be staring at her?
But Shuta An responded first, before the Undefeated Triple Crown could speak,
"Because they're curious. Dober won a major overseas G1, and Teio was reported in the US even before her debut. Later, winning the Undefeated Triple Crown gained her overseas publicity. Everyone knows their identities, which is why they're curious about Admire Vega, who moves around with them."
"I see."
Admire Vega fell silent again.
Shuta An stopped, and Admire Vega, not noticing, bumped directly into his back.
The young man showed no reaction, merely continuing,
"Ayabe, you don't need to feel pressured. You are still far from your full potential; right now, accumulating experience is your top priority."
"The future will always belong to Ayabe-chan"
Mejiro Dober echoed.