Race With the Wind

Chapter 42

The morning is busy. The Grand National starts today. I'm racing on the last day. Sarah wants to go early. She said she'd like to take a look around the place. She said Aintree is a beautiful set up. The farmer didn't find us the other day. I trotted back to the stud. I get up from sleeping. I feel my stomach twist and turn. Sarah gives me a feed. I munch the barley and beetpulp down. Sarah then takes us all out to graze for a while.

I look at the grass. I don't feel that hungry. My nerves are at me. Glic walks up to me. The new horse Soul is with her. ''Soul, this is Scooter. She will be departing soon to England''. Glic says introducing me to Soul. ''Hello!''. I say brightly. I try to look as lively as possible but my nerves are at me. ''Sup!''. Soul says. Glic looks at me kindly. She turns to Soul, ''I'll leave you to chat with Scooter. She won't bite''. Glic says. I lift my head and look at Soul. ''Soo, where do you come from Soul?''. I ask. The mare looks at me. Her black and white coat is gleaming. ''I come from America. Kentucky. I say you might have heard of the great american flat racers?''. Soul asks. I shake my head. ''Well, there's Seabiscuit. A bright bay gelding that is greatly known. There's Secretariat. He was also a gelding that won the Triple Crown. In the last race, he won by about 30 lengths. He raced ahead of another great horse called Sham. Then there is Ruffian. The queen of fillies. In every race she raced ahead of all of the geldings and mares. She was killed in her last race though''. Soul explains. I listen with great interest. They all are horses that raced in the 1970's. American thoroughbreds. I'm an Irish thoroughbred. I found out that in American they mostly hold flat races. We hold here in Ireland mostly steeplechases. When she mentioned Ruffian, I thought of my mother. She raced ahead of everyone too. The only race that my mother lost, was the one that killed her. It's the same with Ruffian. ''My mother is a bit like Ruffian. She would race ahead of the herd too. She's dead now''. I say the last sentence sadly. Soul says sorry and asks about where I am going. I tell her about when I arrived here until this day. Including the incident with the vet. Soul asks me about Calumbo. ''He was my uncle. I didn't even know that''. I say. ''He told me that the only way a great racehorse can win, is to gallop on until it's you that passes the finish line''. I say. Soul never got to talk to us much. With Glic's friendliness, Soul is now fitting in. Soul also said that she loves dressage and jumping. She is a very friendly horse. I'm glad we rescued her.

The truck is loaded and we are ready. Sarah secures a green rug on me. ''Represent your country proudly girl''. Sarah says. She secures the brown leather headcollar her friend gave her. Leona unlocks the ramp of the truck. It falls to the ground with a bang. I stand staring inside the truck. Leona moves the dividers so I can walk to the back. I take a deep breath. Everyone is looking at me. I see Glic looking at me. I see her eyes wet. Sam stands close beside her. ''If anything goes wrong Glic, will you promise to remember me?''. I ask her. She knows what I mean. If I have a terrible accident. This race is lethal. It's basically a road to your death. You need skills to win this race. Glic's eyes tear up more. She nods. I walk up to her and hug her over the fence. She buries her faces in my mane. Sam looks at me worryingly. I hug him too. Muffin got all emotional and walked away whining. ''It's just so hard! It's just so hard. I am a proud pony! Why does she have to leave!''. He cries. Muffin is just one of those ridiculous ponies that you meet. He's hilarious though. He walks up to the tree and starts banging his head off of its trunk. I laugh. ''He'll be back to his old self once you leave''. Cara says. I hug her too. ''Nothing bad will happen, okay. I know it''. Cara says. Sarah grabs me. I walk to the edge of the ramp. This race will change my life. Even if it goes good or bad. I take a deep breath and step onto the ramp and I walk up. My feet hitting the ramp in a rhythmic beat. Sarah ties me up at the back of the truck. She hangs up a hay net. She gives me a kiss and a pat. ''I'll let you out at to walk around once we reach the ferry''. Sarah says. I look out the back of the truck. The ramp is still down. Glic smiles at me. ''I'm doing this for Dolanstown! I love you guys!''. I shout. ''For Calumbo!''. Cara shouts. We all start neighing and stamping. The ramp is raised while I neigh out to my friends. I stop for a few seconds. I still hear my friends neighing. Their hooves pounding the ground. I take a deep breath and I neigh loudly. I let my lungs get rid of every bit of oxygen in them. I was neighing for which felt like a long time. I look out the window. We are driving out of the gates. We take a left turn. I see my friends galloping in the field beside the truck. Glic gallops close to the fence. ''I love you Scooter! Go and race your heart out. Show them that you are the ultimate horse!''. Glic shouts. I stick my nose out of the little window. ''I will!''. I shout back. I stare out the window. Glic slows down, avoiding crashing into the hedge. Sammy chasing after her. Glic is really fast. I neigh. I try to listen for them to call back but I can't with rumbling of the truck. Sarah opens the little door that separates me from the little dining room and the drivers cab. She pats me. ''It's okay''. She whispers. She hugs me. She squeezes my neck. She buries her face in my neck. I hug her tightly back. Lets go win a race Sarah.

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Hey guys! Hope you enjoyed.
A little late with thus chapter. Here it is.
I'll see ya's in the next chapter.
Goodbye!