**Chapter 41: Pre-Race Paddock Walk**
Ochiai swiped away the vibrating alarm on his phone and struggled to sit up from bed.
It was 2:30 AM.
Though still very early, it was time for morning exercise.
Normally, such duties were handled by the training assistant.
And tomorrow's race wasn't a particularly important one.
However, he had proactively requested to participate in the training from his Trainer, Junji Tanaka, his master.
"I hope to understand that child better."
This was the reason he gave.
Despite being the main Jockey, he had ridden Mejiro Pegasus in both of its previous races.
But his understanding of Mejiro Pegasus was far from what a main jockey should possess.
Judging from its performance in races, it was more often Mejiro Pegasus that actively cooperated.
There were even several instances of mistakes due to a lack of synergy.
Mr. Kitano, the Horse Owner, had given his trust, and Mejiro Pegasus had given it all.
So, what about himself, as the Jockey?
At the very least, he should act like a main Jockey.
"If you want to do it, go ahead, but don't oversleep the next day."
Tanaka had always been lenient with this disciple.
His mind still a blur, Ochiai completed his morning routine almost instinctively.
He casually pulled on his Jockey uniform and plunged into the night.
In front of the rows of stables, the training assistants who were about to take the horses out for exercise greeted each other listlessly.
Most of the racehorses beneath them also seemed a bit dispirited.
Ochiai easily spotted Kobayashi, the stableman from Tanaka's stable, among the crowd.
"Although he was a bit boisterous when he first left the stable, this child quickly got into the zone, as if he knew it was time for training," Kobayashi, the stableman, said, patting the gray horse's head.
He looked over.
Mejiro Pegasus had indeed adopted a serious look, as if saying, "I'm going to get serious now."
As for whether there had been any physical growth since the last race.
Regarding this, at least he, as the Jockey, couldn't tell by visual observation.
Gray horses are indeed such elusive creatures in every sense of the word.
Shaking its head, Mejiro Pegasus scrutinized Ochiai with an assessing gaze.
"Can this guy do it?"
Ochiai felt there was such a probing question in its eyes.
It was a rather intelligent and tricky racehorse.
If he were to back down or even show timidity at this moment, he would likely be looked down upon by this fellow.
Then, he couldn't expect Mejiro Pegasus to cooperate well with the training.
He mounted the horse without changing his expression.
As soon as he sat on its back, he felt the excitement from Mejiro Pegasus beneath him.
Just as Kobayashi, the stableman, had said, it had entered its pre-race state very well.
"Well then, I'll leave it to the two of you."
Releasing the buckle of the lead rope, Kobayashi, the stableman, waved at the horse and rider.
"Leave it to me," Ochiai replied.
What was about to commence was a 15-minute paddock walk in preparation for tomorrow's race, interspersed with one or two 30-second light accelerations depending on the situation.
Paddock walks maintain the racehorse's muscle activity, promote blood circulation, and prevent excessive fatigue accumulation, which could affect its race condition.
If a horse is insufficiently trained, the Trainer might also arrange short-distance fast work to quickly awaken its condition.
However, for Mejiro Pegasus, such concerns did not exist.
In its current state, it could even handle Grade races without issue.
Of course, its actual ability was another matter.
"Let's begin," Ochiai commanded.
Mejiro Pegasus lowered its head slightly and let out a snort.
Then, it started to walk.
Ochiai concentrated, carefully feeling every bump beneath him.
For Jockeys, the paddock walk is the best time to improve their rapport with the racehorse.
During high-intensity training or races, racehorses are more likely to resist the Jockey.
And Mejiro Pegasus was different from other racehorses in the stable; the time he could spend with it outside of races was quite limited.
He highly valued this opportunity.
He cast aside distractions and focused on the feel of the horse's back.
Indeed, there had been growth.
Though extremely subtle, Ochiai, sitting on its back, felt the change.
Mejiro Pegasus's muscles were becoming firmer.
Mentally, it also seemed to have become more astute.
As for its temperament, rather than a child of five or six, it actually gave the impression of a young master from a traditional prominent family.
Although it occasionally threw tantrums, it adhered to its own principles regarding training and racing.
It would also cooperate as much as possible with Jockeys it recognized.
It wasn't the kind of troublesome presence that only caused headaches.
The first lap of the paddock walk quickly ended.
Drawing out his whip, Ochiai began to check Mejiro Pegasus's execution of various commands.
Whether accelerating, decelerating, or turning, it performed them all well.
Its condition was also perfectly ready for a race.
So, as they passed the stands, he pulled on the reins to stop.
Mejiro Pegasus let out a somewhat unsatisfied snort, but it still stopped.
"Master, I think acceleration training is unnecessary," he called out to Tanaka in the stands.
"Its condition is absolutely fine!"
Having confirmed this, he didn't want to waste Mejiro Pegasus's stamina on unnecessary pre-race training.
"Is that so?" Tanaka narrowed his eyes, looking down at the gray horse's figure before him.
In the dim light, he could only vaguely make out a dusty silhouette.
Its steps looked steady, and it seemed to run with relative ease.
However, the specific condition of its body was still somewhat uncertain.
But he wasn't the type to be inflexible.
On the contrary, he actively listened to opinions from Jockeys, stablemen, or other stakeholders like Horse Owners.
Although he was subtly labeled as "lacking principles," Tanaka had no intention of changing.
"Then let's do it that way!" He agreed to Ochiai's suggestion, stood up, and gave an "OK" gesture towards the track.
So, Ochiai dismounted, took the reins, and began the cool-down walk early.
At the same time, his mind started to construct a plan for tomorrow's ride.
Mejiro Pegasus's race was the fifth race, the Niikappu Town Two-Year-Old Special, restricted to two-year-olds, over an unknown distance of 1500 meters.
Among the ten starters, it was assigned gate six, a slightly outside position.
"At the start, I still need to try my best to move towards the inside."
"But that means I can't have too much of a disadvantage at the gate."
Thinking of this, he looked up at Mejiro Pegasus.
The gray horse was breathing slightly heavily, watching the other horses still training with great vigilance.
"It should be fine," Ochiai thought, stroking its slightly damp back.