Chapter 1: Abu Dhabi
Chapter 2: Yokohama
The snake never believes that he is prey.
It can be strange, how the world looks one way,
unique to eyes that have yet to see what
lurks out of sight. The snake knows no fear but
what is the natural order of things?
And so we come to our would-be four kings.
Who is the snake? Who is the terrible
eagle soaring with an unbearable
promise, ready to strike, ready to kill
the false premise that the wretched snake still
ruled from its supposed apex. What is
the natural order? Alex has his
early triumph. He has no need to join
the fray and yet fortune turns on a coin.
A new day has begun. On air crisper
than the winds of the north hangs a whisper
of hope. Alex has stayed at home and now
his rivals have their chance to step up. How
they have waited to take their shots at his
edge. Leaders are seldom safe; just ask Liz
Truss. In Japan the new battle begins
and Leo, the reigning king, starts to grin.
Eagle or snake? Which one is he? The old
king Kristian is back to now uphold
his name, yet as the first gun sounds he can
only flail as Leo plays his hand.
After Hayden’s loss in the desert he
must prove he can contend in the harsh sea
beyond the Japanese shoreline. He tries
to stay with Leo but cannot disguise
the naked truth. As they return to land
Leo is in control and leads, his plan
looks like it may yet work. But wait, look there,
Hayden has closed the gap. With early flair
he rides and charges after the Frenchman.
Leo fights back on the streets of Japan
and holds his wheel. Further afield Norway’s
finest musters his strength looking for ways
to press his claim. With more allies around,
Kristian starts to drive his legs, to pound
against a rock that his will and his will
alone could possibly shatter. His skill,
though, is somehow matched by both Hayden and
Leo. Yet with the turns of the clock hand,
his hunt succeeds; he’s there by Sarzilla.
Somehow the leaders hold. With gorilla
like strength, Leo fights on. His duel against
Hayden is entering its close. A tensed
finish begins. No men can match the two
as they ramp up the speed and ascend to
a plane that few can reach. As Kristian
fades, young pretenders new take risks in an
audacious move. Vilaca and Coninx
inhale and fight but ahead Hayden’s Sphinx
face shows no pain. He’s in control. And then
the King is forced to watch aghast for when
Leo takes his next step his strength has gone.
Amid the rains something is clearly wrong.
Young Vilaca, Coninx and more fly through
as Leo’s day is lost. Upon the blue
carpet Hayden can celebrate his day;
he can luxuriate for his display
sees him seize control of this long campaign.
In weeks to come he must defend his reign
from the return of Alex Yee and those,
like Vilaca, determined to oppose
him at every turn. Meanwhile Leo
must now regroup and reflect, for although
his hopes remain alive too much vital
ground has been conceded. While his title
remains intact he must respond or else
he risks that the scale of his challenge swells
as the dangers around multiply. Such
is the curse for those that defend as much
as he. He surely cannot be the snake.
His crown is still out there for him to take.
Yet after a performance so regal,
this day, at least, Hayden is the eagle.
—
(The full race report is available here.)
