It only seems fitting that a filly bred at Widden Stud should win the Group III ATC Widden Stakes (1100m) with victory at Rosehill on Saturday going to Trapeze Artist filly Chilly Girl.
A homebred for the Vieira family, who also bred and raced her sire Trapeze Artist, Chilly Girl had shown nice ability at the trials for the Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou stable and took another step forward on race day.
Driven forward from gate two to lead and hold the fence by Tim Clark, Chilly Girl gave a great kick down the running and was strong to the line winning by half a length over Tagaloa filly Miss Chanel.
The fillies ran slightly quicker time than the G3 Canonbury Stakes won by Hidrix.
“That was really impressive. I was hoping she'd get it a bit softer than that but 'J Mac' (jockey James McDonald) pressed the button on his (Miss Scandal) coming out of the gates and applied quite a bit of pressure throughout,” said Sterling Alexiou.
"She was good enough and seasoned enough to kick away and hold a bit of a margin late. I'm really happy to see her do that at her first start."
"I expected her to put a bit of a kick in but I was a bit worried how much work she'd done in the early half of the race that she could be a bit vulnerable. Gai's horse (Miss Chanel) was fit chasing, but she is a quality filly."
Tim Clark rode Chilly Girl in her most recent trial and was happy to stick with her.
"She trialled up well, I was really impressed with the feel she gave me. Today she was just really relaxed before the start and I had to 'stoke' her up early to hold my position,” he said.
"She's a really sweet filly to ride, she has a great mindset and that will take her a long way.''
Chilly Girl is the tenth winner and first stakes-winner from ten foals to race from stakes-winning General Nediym mare I Got Chills, who was retired from stud duties after she was born.
Chilly Girl is the tenth stakes-winner for Trapeze Artist and is his second juvenile stakes-winner this season joining Where’s the Circus.
Trapeze Artist has a dozen entries for Inglis Classic.
