Trapeze Artist has just failed to deliver a dream result in The Everest for his owner Bert Vieira but his second and a winner earlier on the day at Randwick has brightened his life a little.
Vieira came to the races on Saturday for the first time since his wife Gai was seriously injured six weeks ago when her car was hit by a speeding highway patrol car pursuing another vehicle.
Gai remains in a coma showing slight signs of improvement with her husband and family by her side for the past six weeks.
The Gerald Ryan-trained Trapeze Artist was the first horse to gain a slot in The Everest after Vieira made the decision to delay last season’s champion three-year-old colt’s stud career.
The one-time favourite for the $13 million race, Trapeze Artist is unsuited by a track as heavy as the one he had to face but was gallant to finish 1-1/4 lengths from the winner Redzel.
“He went super,” Vieira said.
“He is a super horse. Gerald had him perfect on the day.
“To run second on a track he doesn’t like was as good as winning.
“We are now looking to take him to Hong Kong.”
Ryan said Trapeze Artist would be inoculated on Sunday in the hope the quarantine restrictions placed on Australian horses returning home would be relaxed.
“He will be inoculated tomorrow anyway in case we decide to go to Royal Ascot next year,” he said.
“He has run super and I’m glad Bert was here.”
Earlier I Like It Easy, who like Trapeze Artist is trained by Ryan, won the Listed Reginald Allen Quality.
She is a filly close to her owner’s heart with the Vieira family also racing her mother Gai’s Choice.
“To have her win like that – it wasn’t I Like It Easy, but it did all right. I’ll take it,” he said.
Vieira is positive his wife will recover.
“We’re confident on everything,” he said.
“I’m confident I’m bringing my wife home.”
