Cover image courtesy of Sportpix
It’s not the first time that racegoers will have seen a speedy, white-faced horse in Vieira’s colours sprinting ahead of his rivals at Sydney’s premier racetracks, as this is also the man who bred and raced the Champion 3-Year-Old, Trapeze Artist.
However, the path for Sweet Ride hasn’t been a smooth one. Not only did his first stakes success come at his fifth attempt at that level, but, not unlike Trapeze Artist, he wasn’t a horse that Vieira had intended to race himself.
The son of Deep Field was sold at the 2021 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, heading to the stable of Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou for $320,000. A great result, but one that wasn’t to last.
Sweet Ride as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
“He went up for sale and Gerald Ryan bought him… for one of his clients, and then his client couldn’t come up with the money,” Vieira told TDN AusNZ.
Vieira agreed to buy the horse back from Ryan and moved him to Annabel Neasham’s stable. From there, the chestnut colt showed early promise to win his second trial and then won on debut in January of this year.
Far from a smooth Ride
Despite the progeny of Deep Field being known to progress as 3-year-olds, Sweet Ride contested the R. Listed Inglis Millennium on just his second start at two. For all that he showed his ability early, Vieira had to be patient in waiting for that first stakes win.
“I’m really excited about having this boy, I’ve waited a long time. I’ve waited for him, and I thought, ‘This is him’, and then it goes up and down.”
“I’m really excited about having this boy (Sweet Ride), I’ve waited a long time. I’ve waited for him, and I thought, ‘This is him’, and then it goes up and down.” - Bert Vieira
The fluctuations Vieira referred to include a couple of below-par runs, including an unusual incident involving a towel. As a 2-year-old, after winning the Black Opal Preview in fine style when barely coming off the bridle, Sweet Ride was narrowly denied a first stakes victory in the G3 Pago Pago S. by Rise Of The Masses (Russian Revolution).
Having coped well on the Heavy 9 surface that day, connections were hopeful for a big run in the G1 Golden Slipper which came next. But it wasn’t to be, with Sweet Ride fading tamely to finish 14th.
Sweet Ride then had a break and returned at the end of his 2-year-old season to post a lacklustre result in handicap company, but this time Vieira felt the colt had an excuse.
Gai and Bert Vieira
“I watched his run; he was unfit, I could see it,” he recalled.
Then, in the sort of occurrence that racing horses allows, and seemingly just to test Vieira’s patience, came the towel incident. Opting for the Listed The Rosebud to commence his Classic year campaign, Sweet Ride’s first attempt at stakes victory this season was written off after jockey Chad Schofield left the stalls with a towel pinned against his leg.
“In the barriers, they give you a towel to wipe them down. He threw the towel behind, but it got stuck in his right leg, so it was flapping under his belly the whole way until the last 100 (metres),” said Vieira.
Undeterred, they pressed on towards Saturday’s San Domenico, with Vieira sure that prohibitive odds of $51 reflected a string of bad luck rather than any lack of ability on the horse’s part. And finally came their reprieve.
“I was confident that he would run a good race, he doesn’t change overnight,” said Vieira.
A Golden path to follow
With a mixture of unwavering belief in his horses and a light-hearted approach by which he tacitly acknowledges that anything can happen in racing, Vieira has plotted a path for Sweet Ride by which he could emulate his Champion, Trapeze Artist.
Sweet Ride (black and yellow silks) | Image courtesy of Sportpix
Firstly, though, he will look for an intermediate test in the G2 Run To The Rose S. over 1200 metres on September 10.
“If everything works and he wins them pretty well at 1200 (metres), I might have a shot at the Golden Rose, as Trapeze Artist did. Trapeze Artist won the Golden Rose by four lengths, so I might try and follow that one.
“Look, I can’t beat Trapeze Artist – let’s win it by three,” Vieira laughed.
“Look, I can’t beat Trapeze Artist – let’s win it by three.” - Bert Vieira
A step up to 1400 metres is not a challenge that will be impeded by Sweet Ride’s pedigree; he is out of the four-time winner How Sweet It Is (Foxwedge), whose victories stretched up to 1600 metres.
She, in turn, is out of a Zabeel (NZ) mare, the Listed-placed Southern Venture (NZ), whose two victories were at 1400 and 1600 metres.
Attracting attention
After such a dominant performance in Saturday’s race, and with his strong 2-year-old form behind him, Sweet Ride has already been the subject of post-racing career discussions. With Deep Field standing at Newgate Farm, it’s understandable that the team there have been keeping a close eye on the colt.
Deep Field | Standing at Newgate Farm
“Newgate’s Bruce Slade rang me and said: ‘You’ve got Trapeze Artist at Widden, now it’s our turn – send him to us’…
“I said: ‘Do I get free services to Deep Field?’ He said I’ve still got to pay for them,” Vieira said.
He added in a chuckle: “I tried.”
Being the first foal of How Sweet It Is, whether or not Sweet Ride takes up stallion duties in the future his performances so far have ensured that Vieira is sitting on a lucrative prospect with his dam.
And, true to his game nature, he is determined to use the success of his broodmare to enhance the chances of his stallion. How Sweet It Is is due a foal by Trapeze Artist this year, and Vieira reported that she will visit him again.
“I can’t not… My main aim is to give Trapeze Artist every chance because I think he’ll be a top stallion, and whatever progeny she gives me I’ll sell for a fortune because I’ve only got (until) the nineteenth of September.”
“I can’t not… My main aim is to give Trapeze Artist every chance because I think he’ll be a top stallion, and whatever progeny she (How Sweet It Is) gives me I’ll sell for a fortune because I’ve only got (until) the nineteenth of September.” - Bert Vieira
The date Vieira has in mind is the first 2-year-old trials, and he is eagerly awaiting the appearance of Trapeze Artist’s debut crop, with the hope that they will make an immediate impact.
“That’s the first trials. If a Trapeze Artist wins a trial – imagine… I gave him a lot of mares; I bought him more mares this year again. I’ve got 92 mares… I’m not a well person,” he joked.
A special day in store
Regardless of the result, if Sweet Ride makes it to the G2 Run To The Rose there may be a very important reason to celebrate.
Though there are still some hurdles in terms of planning to overcome, it is the intention that September 10 will be a first outing to the races for Gai Vieira, Bert’s wife, who is still recovering from critical injuries sustained in a car crash in 2018.
As TDN AusNZ revealed last month when discussing the unprecedented bonus Vieira has offered for the progeny of Trapeze Artist, racing is a sport the couple enjoys watching together and an important remedy.
“We’re very excited. She wants to go – if I don’t take her, she’ll keep calling me names,” said Vieira. “I’ve got to take her.”
