Cover image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Racing has a way of rewarding patience, and on Saturday at Rosehill, few stories felt more complete than that of Chilly Girl. Born at Widden Stud, bred and raced by the Vieira family and trained by Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou, the Trapeze Artist filly delivered a result that felt almost meant to be.
Chilly Girl (Trapeze Artist) is a homebred for Bert Vieira, who also bred and raced her sire. She made a winning debut in the $250,000 G3 Widden Stakes over 1100 metres. From a handy gate, Tim Clark drove her forward, held the fence and let the filly do the rest. When pressure came late, she dug deep, kicking strongly to hold off Miss Chanel (Tagaloa) by half a length.
It was a performance that reflected what her connections had been seeing from early on, a filly with talent and ability, and now a Group 3 win to her name.
Belief turns into reality
When the winning post loomed, the emotion spilled out quickly for Bert Vieira.
“How good was that!”
Vieira explained that the belief had always been there, driven by the conviction of her trainers.
“Gerald (Ryan) and Sterling (Alexiou) have always had a lot of belief in this filly and their confidence led me into believing in her also. They were so confident and that confidence was rewarded.”
“In the Chinese New Year it is the year of the fire horse, and Chilly Girl is fire, so maybe it’s meant to be this year,” Vieira said.
Chilly Girl | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
That belief was built on substance. Her work had been sharp and fast, enough for Ryan to float the idea of starting her career in stakes company.
“Her trials were very good and in good times, so that gave a bit of confidence and when Gerald said we were going to line up in a Group 3 on debut, I said ‘go ahead,’ I wouldn’t know any better anyway. I let the trainers make the big decisions, and I go along for the ride.”
Vieira could see exactly what his trainer saw. “I could see why Gerald really liked her from watching the trials, she is a beautiful filly and to get a result with her straight away is just amazing.”
“I could see why Gerald really liked her (Chilly Girl)... she is a beautiful filly and to get a result with her straight away is just amazing.” - Bert Vieira
Post-race, the pride was unmistakable. “It’s an amazing result for us, we are very proud of Chilly Girl. Gerald was very excited, he was jumping around everywhere and she was very brave and tough at the end, just like her dad used to be.”
Naturally, thoughts have already drifted forward. “Hopefully we can kick on from here and work our way towards the Golden Slipper.”
Stakes success on debut runs in the family
Chilly Girl’s debut stakes victory carried a powerful sense of deja vu. Her dam, I Got Chills (General Nediym), was also a stakes winner on debut, exploding onto the scene as a 2-year-old when winning the Listed Maribyrnong Trial Stakes by four-and-a-half lengths before claiming the Listed St Albans Stakes by seven lengths at her second start for trainer David Hayes.
The bloodlines told the story. Chilly Girl is the final foal of I Got Chills and her first stakes winner, giving the mare a flawless record of 10 foals to race for 10 winners. The family also features the dual Listed-winning sprinter and stallion Rise 'N' Shine and G2 Pago Pago Stakes performer Code (Marauding {NZ}).
Vieira’s connection with I Got Chills dates back to 2014, when he purchased her for $250,000 at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale from the Strawberry Hill Stud draft.
I Got Chills | Image courtesy of Sportpix
“I Got Chills was very fast and that appealed to me, and I always like getting mares with General Nediym in their blood as it is a great source of speed,” Vieira said.
“She won her first two races as a 2-year-old in stakes races and she was just very fast, she ended up being a perfect mare I could support Trapeze Artist with, and the combination has given us a very nice filly.”
Speed, Vieira explained, was the common thread, “It’s great to have speed in the damline, and I Got Chills had that.”
“It’s great to have speed in the damline, and I Got Chills had that.” - Bert Vieira
Chilly Girl was the mare’s final foal. I Got Chills was retired in 2024 and sadly passed away last year, making this win even more poignant.
“It’s sad now that she was retired and then sadly died last year. Chilly Girl is the only filly we have from the family, and one day she will make a lovely broodmare, she already has that Group win to her record.
“That is well down the line hopefully as I love to race, but it is exciting for the future.” Vieira summarised quickly, emphasising his love for racing horses first and foremost.
A stallion, a vision and a purple patch
Chilly Girl became the 10th stakes winner for Trapeze Artist and his second juvenile stakes winner of the season, alongside Where’s The Circus who won the R. Listed Inglis Nursery on debut. The four-time Group 1 winner now boasts 136 winners from runners, with a 58% winners-to-runners strike rate and a growing stakes profile with 10.3% stakes-performers to runners.
Vieira has lived the rarest of owner-breeder dreams - racing Trapeze Artist at the highest level and then standing him at stud at Widden Stud.
Trapeze Artist | Standing at Widden Stud
“He has been a super stallion to me, his progeny have been winning races everywhere,” Vieira said. “They probably need to be winning more Group 1 races and those big ones everyone wants to win, but he is getting there.
“He (Trapeze Artist) has been a super stallion to me, his progeny have been winning races everywhere.” - Bert Viera
“Hopefully this filly can be one to win a real big one.
“To win four Group 1 races you have to be a super horse, we have always believed in him and his record is improving all of the time.”
Panova | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
With Panova potentially emerging as a genuine Group 1 autumn contender for Chris Waller after her romp in the G3 Carbine Club Stakes at Flemington on Derby Day, Trapeze Artist’s momentum continues. Vieira has backed him heavily, though he has also diversified due to a barnmate.
“I have had to support my other new boy Sweet Ride. Trapeze Artist gets most of my mares that are suitable to him and my higher quality mares, but I have also sent some very good ones to Sweet Ride.”
“It is very fulfilling supporting my boys. Widden Stud do a great job and it makes the wins when we get them even sweeter.”
Sweet Ride | Standing at Widden Stud
Racing, family and dreaming big
At the core of the story is enjoyment - something Vieira has never lost sight of.
“I love racing and I love the enjoyment my family get out of the horses doing well,” he said.
“To have all our horses bred at Widden Stud, who are such good people and do such a fantastic job with all of our horses, and to win the Widden Stakes was quite special.
“To have all our horses bred at Widden Stud... and to win the Widden Stakes was quite special.” - Bert Vieira
“I just love racing, with my wife and my family, we all get such a kick out of it, and we got a huge buzz on Saturday.”
The bond with Gerald Ryan adds another emotional layer. “Also to have the connection with Gerald and him having trained Trapeze Artist and now his progeny is also very special, it really has come full circle.
“He was jumping up and down, and I said to him, ‘Gerald, you deserve it’ - he has been a very good trainer for myself and my family.”
That trust has been well placed.
Gerald Ryan and Bert Vieira | Image courtesy of Sportpix
“Gerald actually had the choice of three Trapeze Artists that I got him to look at in the paddock. I said to him, I’m glad you picked the right one - he liked Chilly Girl and I’m very glad he did.”
As for what comes next, Vieira isn’t afraid to dream.
“You have to dream big, so I’m dreaming about the Golden Slipper.
“This game is all about dreaming. If you don’t dream and have fun, you need to get out of the game.”
“This game is all about dreaming. If you don’t dream and have fun, you need to get out of the game.” - Bert Vieira
And even after decades in racing, the nerves are still there. “I’ve raced so many horses, but I had real butterflies before the race. I was nervous beyond a joke. I think that’s just because of the belief we have in this filly.”
For Chilly Girl, that belief has already been rewarded, and the fire suggests there may be plenty more to come.
