Widden Stud’s Trapeze Artist has two leading chances to post a first black-type winner in Saturday’s $500,000 Inglis Nursery (LR) at Randwick and head to the Christmas break atop the first season sire standings.
Currently third behind Harry Angel (IRE) and Brave Smash (JPN), Trapeze Artist will be represented by his only winner to date, the Bjorn Baker-trained colt Disneck, and the Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou-trained filly Facile, who has created a good deal of excitement in two barrier trials.
At this stage of his preparation, Rosehill winner Disneck will likely be searching for longer than 1000m. By contrast, the fleet-footed Facile looks to have found the perfect spot for her debut.
Like her sire, Facile was bred by Bert Vieira.
A $420,000 purchase for Ryan and Alexiou Racing at the 2022 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, Facile sports the Aquis silks.
The first four dams of Facile are stakes-performers.
She is the first foal of the Vieira family homebred I Like It Easy, winner of the Listed Reginald Allen Quality and a 2yo race over 1200m at Warwick Farm in an 8-start career.
Vieira purchased I Like It Easy’s dam Gai’s Choice (General Nediym) for $81,000 in 2009.
A half-sister to Listed Gai Waterhouse Classic winner Peron and dual Listed winner Atmospherical (Northern Meteor), Gai’s Choice emulated Peron in winning the Listed Gai Waterhouse Classic and finished third in the Group 1 Tattersall’s Tiara.
This family has its roots back to Wily Trade (USA) (To Market), the dam of triple Group 1 winner Subzero, hero of the Melbourne Cup, Adelaide Cup and south Australia Derby in 1992, Confederate Lady, winner of the Group III Blue Diamond Prelude, and 3-time Listed winner Bensynd.
Wily Trade is a three-quarter sister to the dam of Golden Slipper winner and champion sire Marscay.
Bert Vieira has plenty riding on Saturday’s feature as I Like It Easy has a yearling sister to Facile and another sister born on October 31.
I Like It Easy’s dam Gai’s Choice has also been a regular visitor to Trapeze Artist.
She has an unraced 2yo filly named Just Easy who was retained and is in training with Ryan/Alexiou, a yearling filly and filly foal, all by Trapeze Artist.
A 4-time Group 1 winning son of Snitzel, Trapeze Artist has 22 yearlings catalogued for the Gold Coast and 17 for the Inglis Classic.
