As Zhou Tai'an ran towards the side of the track, he heard the on-site commentator announce the finishing time of the race—1:50.9.
"Without a doubt! This is a new record for the 1800 meters at Monbetsu Racecourse! The genius horse girl from Kasamatsu has delivered a strike in the heavy rain that shatters the original record by more than a second!"
"Audience members here today, listeners on the radio, viewers at home! Can you believe it? Before the race, no one was optimistic about this gray-coated horse girl who had come all the way from the Tokai region. Everyone thought she and her trainer were just going through the motions, but Oguri Cap didn't think so," the commentator gripped his microphone, suppressing his excitement. "Under the pouring rain, under the doubtful gazes, the expeditionary horse girl has brought her summer to the most perfect conclusion!"
While the commentator was still "venting" his feelings, Zhou Tai'an had already run through the rain to the side of the track.
The rain was really heavy now. Just a few seconds after stepping out from under the cover, the young man was already soaked.
But he didn't care. The joy of winning a Graded Race was enough to overshadow everything.
He wiped the rain from his face, forced the brightest smile he could muster, and then, from across the railing, he shouted to Oguri Cap, who was preparing for her winning live, with all his might, "Oguri Cap! The smile you wanted to see, I'm giving it to you now!"
"Trainer..." Oguri Cap was stunned for a moment, then returned a smile so bright it seemed as if it could disperse the rain clouds. "I received it!"
Not far behind her, Don Fortis was bent over with her hands on her knees, panting heavily, feeling the "pain" of the raindrops hitting her back—a pain that seemed to have seeped into her heart.
"I wasn't supposed to lose here," she bit her lip, her mind replaying the scene at the finish line over and over.
After a long while, she reluctantly confirmed one thing, "Even if I were to do it again, and learn my lesson and block her path, I would still be no match for her."
Realizing this, her mood improved slightly. "I can't believe even Kasamatsu can produce such a strong Horse Girl... I underestimated her."
Looking up, Don Fortis couldn't help but glance at Oguri Cap, who was not far away with her back to her, happily chatting with a figure by the side of the track.
She looked up at the stands, and through the curtain of rain, she could still vaguely see the figure of her own trainer.
For no reason, a feeling of grievance welled up in her heart.
He had a brief chat with Oguri Cap, then urged her to go back to the waiting room. "There's still the winning live. After the performance, we'll go eat first, then take your mother home together."
"Okay, okay!" Oguri Cap nodded vigorously, then hurried towards the waiting room with a light step.
However, she didn't notice that the mud she had kicked up had splattered all over him.
He didn't deliberately avoid it, just continued to smile brightly, watching her figure disappear into the underground passage.
The mud splatters on him were like the traces left by celebratory fireworks. He didn't care at all, and with his head held high, he started back to the supporters' section.
Along the way, many people in the stands looked at him, but he was oblivious, a brilliant smile on his face, his pace getting faster and faster, until he was practically jogging.
"Is Oguri Cap's trainer that young?" The audience, of course, could guess his identity, and were therefore even more shocked.
Slowly, through word of mouth, the entire crowd at Monbetsu Racecourse learned that Oguri Cap's trainer was young and handsome, just a bit disheveled in his appearance just now.
"Truly a promising young man," after he returned to the supporters' section, the trainers from Monbetsu Tracen Academy all came over to get acquainted.
No matter how much they had dismissed the pair from Kasamatsu before, the race result was now clearly displayed on the tote board. Even if they wanted to be stubborn, they should blush when they looked at the results.
It wasn't that no one secretly questioned the validity of her record-breaking time—strictly speaking, Don Fortis had also broken the record, just half a second slower than her.
But at least for now, with the victory decided, everyone was tactful and would not say anything to spoil the mood.
Her winning live performance ability had improved significantly with Northan Ace's help, and this time, she also received applause and cheers from the audience.
"It's a pity we probably won't be racing here again," he stood below the stage, waving a light stick and talking to himself.
"Actually, you could consider challenging the Hokkai Derby, right?" Tojo Hana suggested.
"How could that be possible," the young man pouted. "Next year, I will have Oguri Cap challenge Central."
"Central?" Tojo Hana glanced at the Horse Girls behind her and thought to herself, "Zhou-kun must know the restrictions on local horses, so Oguri Cap will most likely choose to challenge a low-level Graded Race to test her turf aptitude. Then, if there are no problems, she'll probably consider the Yasuda Kinen and the Takarazuka Kinen?"
At this thought, she breathed a sigh of relief. "In that case, it seems we won't be facing each other at Central next year."
"Is that so?" He thought Tojo Hana's Team Rigil had no Horse Girls to run on the classic front next year and sighed. "That's a pity."
…
The Horse Girls from Team Rigil and Tojo Hana did not participate in her victory celebration. They were preparing to go back to the inn for dinner. Even though Taiki Shuttle had been clamoring to join the fun, she was ruthlessly suppressed by Fuji Kiseki and Hishi Amazon.
In the end, only the four of them went to a family restaurant for the victory celebration.
Having seen what the trainer was like after drinking too much last time, Brand New Shine did not order alcohol this time, and just got a soft drink.
Taking a sip of his cola, he raised his glass and gave a toast to Oguri Cap, who could only drink hot water. "You won beautifully today."
"Thank you, Zhou-kun," before Oguri Cap could speak, Mrs. Shiraishi spoke first. "If it weren't for you, I would never have dreamed that Oguri, who had gone so far away to Kasamatsu, could become a Graded Race Horse Girl."
"Mm-hm!" Oguri Cap nodded vigorously.
"It's mainly because she is very talented," he shook his head with a smile. "As a trainer, I just need to bring out her ability."
But Shiraishi raised her glass with a serious expression. "From now on, I leave Oguri completely in your care, Zhou-kun."
He took it as a polite remark for the time being, raised his glass again, clinked it with hers, and promised, "I will make Oguri Cap an outstanding Horse Girl, one that you, Mrs. Shiraishi, and all her fans will be proud of."
Only Brand New Shine, sitting on the side, had a vague feeling that there was a hidden meaning in her words. As for the center of the topic, Oguri Cap, she was already wholeheartedly focused on devouring her food.
-------
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