HLM – Chapter 1082 Go All Out, Tuhao Jin

The man was very satisfied with the seat swap and even looked a little relieved—he hadn’t expected to get into a private box just by trading his seat.

Buying a ticket in this area would cost around fifty dollars per seat, while a private box would be over twenty times that.

Hani had brought binoculars and handed them to Wang Bo and Eva. The group stood up, holding their binoculars, and looked toward the racehorse entrance. Some young men dressed like cowboys were already riding out on their horses.

“Should we go see Tuhao Jin? After all, this is its first time in an official race,” Eva said.

Wang Bo asked, “I thought only the jockeys and the horses were allowed into the stables. No one else can go in, so as not to scare the horses?”

“Owners are allowed.”

Well, that settled it—they had to go see it.

Wang Bo called Malong and then walked toward the entrance. Malong came out and handed each of them a plastic card to hang around their necks. “With this, you can come and go freely,” he said.

“Is this cheating?” Wang Bo joked.

Malong shook his head. “Cheating? Not at all. In fact, if someone says they’re the horse’s owner, the security won’t stop them. No one stops the wealthy.”

Horse owners are all rich; the difference is only in degree.

Training a racehorse is incredibly difficult and costly. According to a 2013 report from a famous racehorse auction house, the average price of a racehorse was about €23,980—not including entry fees, veterinary costs, and insurance when participating in races.

Many owners therefore choose to buy partial ownership of a horse. That way, they can enjoy the privileges of a horse owner—access to the stables, watching training, chatting with trainers, entering the parade ring—without spending six or seven figures.

Of course, some middle-class owners have achieved remarkable results. For instance, the 2015 Melbourne Cup champion horse, “Prince of Penzance,” was one such case.

But statistically speaking, high investment is more likely to produce a champion horse.

Like ordinary stables, each racehorse was in its own pen, attended by a team of caretakers. Here, people being subordinate to horses was normal.

Next to Tuhao Jin was a pure white, tall horse wearing an anti-mosquito coat. It was being massaged, its tail carefully groomed—almost as if it were an emperor.

Tuhao Jin seemed very interested in the white horse, tilting its head and squinting as it observed.

The white horse snorted, and immediately someone went to check on it.

Tuhao Jin quickly swallowed the carrot in its mouth, then bent down to chew on some oats.

Malong clicked his tongue in surprise. “Hey, Tuhao Jin is eating oats? This guy’s picky—he usually only likes vegetables from the town, like carrots.”

Wang Bo and Eva exchanged glances, a bad feeling growing in their minds.

Tuhao Jin didn’t disappoint. After a few chews, it suddenly stretched its neck and spat toward the neighboring white horse.

At best, it looked like petals scattering in the wind; at worst, it was a face full of spit. Wang Bo thought the white horse would collapse on the spot!

The trainer immediately exploded in anger, glaring at Tuhao Jin. One of them shouted, “Whose horse is this?”

When a child misbehaves, the parent must apologize. Wang Bo quickly approached with a beaming smile, waving his hands. “Sorry, sorry, guys. My horse is a little mischievous…”

The trainer wasn’t unreasonable. He grunted. “Watch him closely—he’s a bit too excited.”

Wang Bo nodded repeatedly, then turned back and glared at Tuhao Jin. “Hear that? They said you’re too excited…”

This only made Tuhao Jin more excited. It opened its mouth, bit the latch, lifted it, and swung the door open, wagging its tail as it charged at Wang Bo.

The white horse was terrified and quickly backed away, fearing it would get caught in the crossfire.

Wang Bo hugged Tuhao Jin’s large head, stroking its neck. “Alright, alright, I know you missed me. I missed you too. See? I came to see you, didn’t I?”

When Eva approached, Tuhao Jin got even more excited, breaking free from Wang Bo and rushing toward her.

“The horse’s energy is amazing,” said the nearby trainer. “Too bad the jockey doesn’t seem that impressive.”

Malong snorted. “Albert, you’d better watch your mouth. If we get into a fight, you’re no match. I had your cheap old man crying before you were even in diapers…”

The middle-aged trainer glared angrily. “Watch your tone, old man. I don’t want to accidentally ruin your career.”

Wang Bo stepped in as peacemaker. “OK, OK, calm down. Let’s show our skills on the track. What’s the point of arguing off the track? Acting like clowns?”

The trainer glared at Malong one last time and led the white horse away.

Malong complained, “Boss, why didn’t you speak up for me?”

If it were just simple provocation, Wang Bo would have backed Malong up. But Tuhao Jin had caused trouble first, and the white horse’s jockey hadn’t held a grudge, showing he wasn’t bad-tempered.

Later, the fight with Malong was clearly due to past grievances. In that case, Wang Bo couldn’t interfere blindly.

Plus, Wang Bo knew Malong’s history—he had offended too many people with his mouth. If Wang Bo defended him every time, he’d need to defend at a cosmic level.

Wang Bo fed Tuhao Jin a bit, then Eva cupped her hands slightly to pour water for it to drink.

Tuhao Jin happily drank two sips, then suddenly stuck out its big tongue and licked Wang Bo’s face, covering him in drool.

The racehorses were about to assemble. When Tuhao Jin came out of its stall, it immediately drew many eyes.

Wang Bo noticed the looks—they were full of malice.

Soon, someone sneered, “Hey buddy, are you serious? That’s a mongrel horse, right? It can race?”

“What a disgrace to my Happy Rocket—standing on the same track as this opponent?”

“New Zealand racing has no future if they let horses like this in.”

Wang Bo listened coldly as they muttered. Tuhao Jin, intelligent, sensed the hostility and turned back, roaring in anger.

Malong, who had been joking earlier, became serious. He hugged Tuhao Jin’s neck and whispered a few words in its ear.

Tuhao Jin calmed quickly, no longer so restless, and stepped forward with determined strides.

“What did you say just now?” Wang Bo asked. “Can it really understand?”

Malong gritted his teeth. “I told him to ignore everything and just go all out. Hit hard, go for it!”