Kazuo, personally attending the Fuchu Racecourse, felt only one thing: it was unimaginably vast.
As expected of the Tokyo Racecourse, one of the four major Racecourses, its scale was also the largest in Japan, with the track and the audience seating in the venue being truly breathtaking.
On weekdays, the race broadcasts seen on television were mostly filmed from an angle level with the competitors or slightly overhead.
But now, being there in person, especially in the A-grade seats with a wide view, he realized that the track was actually layered, with the outermost sections even having uphill slopes.
Standing in the stands, the race track and the audience area were actually quite far apart.
At this time, the Racecourse stands were already filled with people, and on the lowest platform, fans who hadn't purchased or couldn't get designated seats stood around the outside of the track, eagerly awaiting the start of the race.
Familiar singing echoed in his ears, and looking around, the audience on the lowest level had already gathered at the front stage, enthusiastically participating in cheering activities.
Since a race had just finished half an hour ago, the track was currently undergoing its final adjustments under the inspection of staff.
Kazuo had been wondering why the venue's BGM sounded so familiar, but upon closer inspection, he realized it was a live performance.
As a permanent feature of major competitions, the organizers would actually invite bands or cheering singers to perform before the race began.
The song echoing through the Racecourse at this moment, which Kazuo found very familiar, was "Shukumei" by Official Hige Dandism.
On an open platform at the Tokyo Racecourse, one could even see the famous band up close.
"It's Hige Dan!?"
Kazuo was very excited; this group's popularity in Japan was simply too high, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call them a national idol group.
Being able to see singers he usually only saw on television so closely was an unexpected surprise.
"Generally, major races would choose local orchestras for the opening performance. But this invitational was planned by NHK, so they invited them, which caused quite a stir online... Speaking of which, isn't this song also the theme song for the 101st Summer Koshien support?"
Hayakawa-san was very knowledgeable about these things; it seemed she wasn't just knowledgeable about Horse Racing, but also about various other topics, which she could discuss effortlessly.
"Lead singer Fujiwara is a lead singer I really like!"
Their appearance at the Fuchu Racecourse for this race was an unexpected delight for Kazuo.
Enjoying the intense Racecourse atmosphere, the two found their seats.
"Well, the race will start in a little while, and at this point, the competitors should already be ready in the track's passage."
Sitting down, Hayakawa-san said, opening the small display screen in front of her.
After some operations, the scene switched to a bright waiting area.
At this time, as Hayakawa-san had said, the competitors were waiting in the competitor area for the final adjustments of the on-field equipment.
What was interesting was that each of them was accompanied by a cute little Uma Musume.
These were like the ball boys in football matches; each Uma Musume would lead one into the Racecourse.
Maruzensky's figure was easily visible among them; her fiery attire was quite conspicuous among the competitors.
Compared to the serious and solemn demeanor of the other competitors, she was extremely relaxed, even squatting down to tease the little girl next to her. Her kind and approachable manner made people feel very at ease.
As the song concluded, the audience responded with enthusiastic applause. Being able to enjoy this additional audio-visual feast was truly an unforgettable performance before the main race began.
However, after the performance ended and they slowly exited, the Racecourse loudspeakers were reconnected.
After a few adjustments, the announcer's voice came through.
"This is Fuchu Racecourse, this is Fuchu Racecourse. Thank you to Official Hige Dandism for accepting the invitation to perform. Please continue to support them in the future, everyone."
"Now, the 21st NHK Mile Cup Invitational will be held at 16:30. I am today's announcer, Narisawa Sora. Today's final race is a G1-level 1600m turf Mile Race. This is an information update: the weather is clear, the turf track has a slightly heavy water content, and as for the track, the staff are making the final adjustments."
"Today's most noteworthy competitor is Maruzensky, from Tresen Academy, who has achieved an undefeated four wins and is known as the 'supercar'. She has a memorable 'first escape' running style that leaves a deep impression, and in her previous races, she has surpassed the second-place competitor by at least 2.5 horse lengths. With such absolute strength, Maruzensky is also appearing as the top favorite in today's race."
.
After a series of procedures, the competitors, introduced by the announcer, exited the competitor track one by one.
Each person led a little Uma Musume and lined up facing the audience.
The audience also responded with cheers, welcoming these competitors who were about to deliver a spectacular showdown in the race.
Kazuo paid special attention, and when competitor number eight, Maruzensky, was introduced, the audience's cheers were even more enthusiastic and loud.
This was understandable; compared to the foreign competitors invited, competitors who had competed locally were more popular.
And Maruzensky's strongly identifiable running style in previous races had left a deep impression on many Horse Racing fans.
And she would respond to everyone's expectations, once again standing on the Racecourse.
.
"The competitors are now in the gates. The race is about to begin—"
Bang!
The moment the indicator light turned on, the gates opened, and over a dozen competitors rushed out simultaneously.
"Start!! NHK Mile Cup Invitational, everyone is now watching the NHK Mile Cup Invitational!! The competitors are out of the gates, no delays, each competitor is focused on racing from the very beginning!!"
"Competitor number 8, Maruzensky, has completely taken the lead within less than a hundred meters after exiting the gates!! This is as predicted before the race, so can Competitor Maruzensky maintain her advantage until the end?"
The experience of watching a race live is absolutely something that cannot be felt on a television screen.
The fervent atmosphere, the roaring cheers and encouragement, even threatened to drown out the announcer's voice.
As if hearing the announcer's voice, Maruzensky on the display screen once again accelerated, pulling far ahead of the others. Before the first two sections of the race, Maruzensky's starting speed had already showcased her power.
Watching live, one could feel the dense, drum-like sound of hooves on the turf, and the visual impact of the competitors' flying figures. Coupled with these earth-shattering shouts, even compared to the training races at the Academy, such an atmosphere was far superior.
Although Kazuo had thought she was a very impressive competitor when he watched her race against Symboli Rudolf, it was only now, seeing Maruzensky in an official race with his own eyes, that he truly realized the terrifying presence of this competitor.
Comparing her performance to the historical video data he had seen, Kazuo couldn't find anyone who could rival Maruzensky's performance in the first two sections. The timing of her acceleration, her choice of track, and her application of running techniques were all executed perfectly, like a supercar with an engine full of power from the start, speeding across the track, gleaming with that intoxicating crimson.
"So strong!"
Kazuo stared at the figure on the display screen in front of him and couldn't help but murmur.
This was no longer just a simple race; what Kazuo saw was a 'show' of pure individual skill.
Maruzensky was like a supercar, leading everyone in an unapproachable manner, while the others could only scramble behind her, trying to keep up with her pace.
This was the purest definition of — overwhelming skill.
There was no excessive embellishment of technique, just the simplest display of raw power.
All Maruzensky did was run, then sprint.
It was only at this moment that Kazuo realized why even the Chairman said that if Maruzensky participated in the race... "The track has reached its midpoint, and as we can see, contestant number eight, Maruzensky, is still four horse lengths ahead of the second-place runner, and that number is still trending upwards!!!"
"Contestant Maruzensky's speed is astonishing!!! Where is her limit!?"
However, as they entered the final major turn of the race, something unexpected suddenly happened: Maruzensky, who had been leading by a wide margin, suddenly slowed down at this point.
This sudden, unannounced change caused everyone present to tense up.
The commentator also reported with great surprise:
"What's wrong with contestant Maruzensky? She's slowing down without any apparent struggle!? Contestant number 11, Perfect Start, chooses to accelerate at this moment, putting her neck and neck with Maruzensky as they enter the turn!!!"
Such a loss of speed without any visible struggle was truly astonishing.
Many could only think of one possibility: an injury.
It was indeed possible for such a situation to occur during a high-speed sprint, but —
Kazuo, however, remembered what happened during her previous race with the Chairman... "Could it be an old injury flaring up?"
Kazuo subconsciously thought of this possibility. He quickly looked at the display screen in front of him, intently watching Maruzensky as she ran, focusing on her left foot.
Just as he had expected, her running posture had shown a slight deformation.
On the calf that was bearing the weight, her left foot seemed hesitant to apply force —
But even under these circumstances, even with this loss of speed, Maruzensky on the display screen showed little change in expression; she still focused intently on the track ahead.
This brief lapse allowed her opponent to seize an opportunity, but it didn't mean she was ready to concede victory.
On the contrary, in this situation, she first stabilized her own speed to maintain an even pace with her opponent.
Her mature response and awareness during the race also allowed her to find an opportunity.
"Come on!!! Maruzensky! Don't give her any chances!! Decide the winner in the final turn, don't give up!! The finish line is in sight!!"
What Kazuo hadn't expected was that Hayakawa was extremely agitated at this moment, completely abandoning her usual rational demeanor, and, like the other spectators, passionately cheered for Maruzensky.
Watching her, heedless of others' gazes, passionately shouting encouragement for Maruzensky, Kazuo also felt infected and cheered loudly for Maruzensky.
And as everyone had hoped, this supercar, at the very last moment, roared its engine once again!
"In the final turn, the two are still running neck and neck — wait, wait! Contestant Maruzensky is showing a stance in the turn that's almost leaning flat against the ground; this is an extremely difficult cornering technique!"
At the crucial moment, this move by Maruzensky was unexpected by her opponent, who hadn't anticipated she would choose such a racing style.
Using the centrifugal force of the turn, Maruzensky truly seemed to be driving a race car, leaning her body towards the outer edge and pulling herself, going with the force, and lowering her stance to navigate the turn.
With this technique, Maruzensky managed to create a small gap between the two of them.
And this minuscule difference was the beginning of her counterattack —
The moment she entered the straightaway, Maruzensky, who had adjusted her posture first, was like pressing the accelerator to the floor on the final straight track, as if she had transformed into a crimson race car. As she exited the final turn into the straight, her acceleration surged back.
The burst of power instantly turned into a sonic boom, and Maruzensky's figure, in less than two seconds, once again widened her lead.
"This is! Contestant Maruzensky is in the lead once again!! Unparalleled acceleration!!! Her speed is still increasing, and the distance from the others is still widening! The final two hundred meters —"
This was the absolute skill and on-the-spot reaction demonstrated by a star athlete.
In Kazuo's eyes, Maruzensky was already 'walking' ahead of everyone else, becoming an existence that could only be admired from afar.
And amidst the cheers and shouts of the crowd, Maruzensky, as expected, successfully crossed the finish line, widening her lead again and winning the championship.
"Maruzensky! Contestant Maruzensky! The NHK G1 Hero Cup victory is hers, just as everyone hoped!!! This is a display of her absolute ability!!! And it's her first victory in a comeback race since January! Her fifth undefeated win, truly the strongest foreign contestant in Japan!!! Let's cheer for her! Cheer for her return, her arrival!!!"
After crossing the finish line, Maruzensky also showed a bright, Shining smile, jogging and waving to the audience.
Sweat and a running posture—this is the most Shining moment for an athlete on the field.
"Contestant Maruzensky! We look forward to her future performances!!!"
Accompanied by the commentator's voice, the cheers from the crowd reached their peak.
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