Analysis of opponents like Takarazuka Kinen and Akitsu Teio had actually been carried out extensively during the previous preparation period. Corresponding running styles and strategies had also been specifically trained.
Normally, according to the team's past routine, pre-race discussions were mainly focused on minor details.
With Tokai Teio and Mejiro McQueen joining, however, the meeting slightly repeated some of the previously introduced content to help them better understand the team's usual approach.
"It's not that the other opponents aren't important, but Akitsu Teio's running style is quite unique. Even though you, Tamamo, already have impressive ability, a small lapse could still lead to defeat."
After emphasizing this, Kitahara was about to further explain things to the two "newcomers," when an idea suddenly came to him.
"We've already gone over this content many times before. So, Tamamo, why don't you try to summarize what we've mentioned?"
This caught Tamamo by surprise, and not just her—Kogurihimo and the others also looked startled.
According to the Eisei team's usual habit, anything concerning training or race content was normally handled by the trainers—Kitahara, Komiyama, Yuzuhara, and so on.
Before final decisions were made, Kogurihimo and the others might give their opinions based on personal feelings, but the overall plan remained the trainers' responsibility.
A discussion meeting like this—where a horse girl like Tamamo is asked to summarize previously explained content—had never happened before.
But Kitahara thought such an arrangement was very necessary.
He had thought of the Feynman Learning Technique and planned to use Tokai Teio, Mejiro McQueen, and the already officially joined Oguri Cap to help enhance Tamamo and Oguri Cap's understanding of fundamental knowledge.
This was an idea he had just come up with. Seeing the horse girls looking puzzled, he decided to explain.
"It is a bit sudden, I admit—I mean asking you, Tamamo, to explain race arrangements."
"However, I thought of the Feynman Learning Technique, and I hope this method can help improve your abilities."
"F-Feynman Learning Technique?"
Tamamo froze for a moment, touching her head, confused."What's that?"
Kogurihimo and Inari also looked puzzled, while Creek and Ardan, after a moment of thought, seemed to have a partial understanding.
"It's supposed to be a method to deepen one's mastery of knowledge," Creek said thoughtfully to Tamamo, smiling."As far as I've seen in some study materials, it's roughly about explaining the knowledge or memories you've learned to someone else."
"That helps make the knowledge you already have more solid."
She looked at Kitahara for confirmation.
"In simpler terms, it's pretty much what Kohaiwan said."
Kitahara nodded."Feynman was a physicist, a Nobel Prize winner in Physics, one of the founders of quantum electrodynamics, and the father of nanotechnology."
"He was one of the wisest people in modern times."
"Regarding learning, he created a method: by explaining what you've mastered to someone who knows nothing, you ensure your own understanding is deeper and your memory more thorough."
"This method exists because sometimes, even if we know something, our understanding isn't as clear as we think."
"For example, we might know a thing's name and roughly how it works, but not the underlying principles."
"In training and races, you can often execute basic knowledge, techniques, and skills."
"But if I asked you specifically how to run out of the gate or how to take a turn, you might only be able to give a general answer."
"Running out of the gate, taking turns… isn't that… eh?"
Tamamo started to answer, then suddenly got stuck."…Seems really hard to describe."
"Usually, only Komiyama and the others know it that well, right?"
"In daily training, we just follow your habits, don't we?"
After stumbling a bit, she instinctively looked to her trainer for guidance.
Komiyama had a sense of Kitahara's intention. She thought for a moment, then smiled and explained to Tamamo:
"What Senpai just said is that he wants you, Tamamo, to teach Oguri Cap, Tokai Teio, and Mejiro McQueen the knowledge you've mastered."
Her gaze swept across the horse girls as she explained.
"The Feynman Learning Technique isn't complicated. The trainers—me, Senpai, Yuzuhara, Kyoko-san, and Light—we all do this."
"We often have gaps in knowledge regarding training, medical knowledge, or technical matters."
"When discussing, we inevitably have to explain things to others."
"While explaining, we try to make the other person understand. Before that, we must first understand it ourselves."
"This process not only helps others learn but also improves our own mastery."
"If it were only you two or three, this method wouldn't be necessary. But now with Oguri Cap, Teio, and McQueen, teaching them after mastering it yourself will enhance your understanding even more."
"I think that's Kitahara's plan."
"Ah, I see. It's not complicated at all. We were overthinking."
Hearing Komiyama's explanation, and Kitahara nodding, Tamamo relaxed and smiled."We thought Senpai was going to test us, so we got a little nervous. But just explaining what we know should be fine."
"Alright then, Oguri, Teiou, McQueen—pay attention! Tamamo's classroom is starting!"
At first, Tamamo spoke casually, following roughly the same thought process as previously analyzed by Kitahara and the others.
According to the prior analysis, while other opponents cannot be ignored, Akitsu Teio's strength and running style stood out the most.
As a senior horse girl in the Eisei team, Teiou had excellent results, including three G1 championships, proof of her skill.
Additionally, she had two characteristics that made her particularly challenging for Eisei's team:
Her preferred running style is Front Running/leading from the front, a style no Eisei horse girl excels in.This meant that even if they had encountered similar situations in past training or races, resisting a horse girl who sets the pace could still be tricky.
For example, during an exchange match at Epsom, a European horse girl's lead position caused issues. In unfamiliar tracks, with short preparation and unusual courses, there wasn't enough time to specifically counter this style. Experience showed that instinct and routine habits had to carry them through.
Akitsu Teio's lead speed is extremely fast. Normally, leading does not consume the most stamina, but this style requires carefully balancing pace and endurance, or else finishing becomes difficult.Tamamo and others had encountered leading horse girls before, but Teio's stamina allowed her to accelerate earlier, sometimes sprinting in the mid-section of races.
Such sudden sprinting from the lead is both a testament to her strength and a challenge for opponents.
A sprint from the lead differs from other positions: if the opponent doesn't follow, the gap grows, making it impossible to catch up later.
If they do follow, they must abandon their preferred pace, which is disadvantageous for any horse girl.
Thus, in pre-race preparation, it was necessary to adjust their own pace to remain comfortable even at high speed.
Kitahara, Komiyama, and Yuzuhara had already arranged such strategies, and Tamamo and the others trained accordingly.
However, when Tamamo explained it herself, she naturally missed details and occasionally her logic faltered.
This was exactly Kitahara's intention: having horse girls analyze and explain the tactics themselves enhances their mental understanding.
"That's enough for now, Tamamo. Good job."
Once Tamamo finished, exhausted but relieved, Kitahara turned to the other horse girls:
"Having Tamamo explain the running strategies was sudden, but the goal is to help you improve."
"It also provides Oguri, Teio, and McQueen more ways to learn."
"After the Takarazuka Kinen and Takamatsunomiya Kinen, you'll have many teammates training together. Mutual learning will be very important then."
(End of Chapter)