RACING means everything to Bert Vieira – well almost everything.

The owner of leading $13 million The TAB Everest contender Trapeze Artist has been keeping a hospital bedside vigil after his wife, Gai, suffered critical injuries in a horrific car crash on September 5.

Mrs Vieira, 68, was the innocent victim of a high-speed police chase through the streets of Cronulla. She was driving her Mercedes Benz when a highway patrol car T-boned into her vehicle at speeds up to 124km/h. A police officer has been charged with dangerous driving occasioning grevious bodily harm.

Gai and Bert Vieira’s three-year-old grandson Tyler was in the backseat of the car, but was unhurt. The wife, mother and grandmother remains in a coma with broken ribs, a punctured lung, broken pelvis, elbow and ankle, and bleeding on her brain.

Husband Bert has hardly left her side since the accident and has missed both of Trapeze Artist’s races this spring carnival.

For the Vieira family, The Everest takes on so much more than being the world’s richest turf race — it can provide a brief release from the pain of the past month.

Gerald Ryan, the trainer of Trapeze Artist, hopes to convince the owner to be at Royal Randwick for the The Everest on October 13.

“I’m trying to talk Bert into going on Everest Day but he is hesitant,’’ Ryan said.

“What Bert and his family are dealing with right now is very tough on all of them. But I know Gai would not like him to have an Everest runner and not be at Randwick on the day.’’

Trapeze Artist has been one of the favourites for The Everest since markets were released in December. The brilliant four-year-old is a noted big-race performer and Ryan has him primed for The Everest.

“I was hoping Bert would come for the Premiere Stakes (at Royal Ranwick last Saturday), I told him he has all these people behind him,’’ Ryan said.

“Before and after the Premiere, I had people singing out to me, coming up and shaking my hand and asking me to tell Bert they are praying for Gai and his family.

“A lot of these people I don’t even know and I said to Bert that is the sort of support you have got out there in racing and the public. I think he has to do it for himself to try and be there for The Everest but he is reluctant, which I can understand.’’

Trapeze Artist has been improved by two runs from a spell and Ryan maintains there the talented sprinter will be at his best for The Everest.

“There is still a bit of improvement to come from this horse,’’ Ryan said.

“I was in two minds whether I wanted to see more from him in the Premiere Stakes (fourth behind Santa Ana Lane) but I think he covered more ground in the race than anything else.

“He hit a flat spot, like he does second-up every preparation, but he still found the line well.’’

Ryan maintains Trapeze Artist is “running to pattern” despite being beaten at both his starts this spring.

Trapeze Artist has struck top form at his third run in each preparation – as a juvenile he won the Black Opal, then last spring he romped away with the Golden Rose. Earlier this year he ran a good third to Kementari and Pierata in the Randwick Guineas.

Ryan then switched Trapeze Artist back to sprints and he was outstanding, claiming the TJ Smith Stakes and All Aged Stakes in successive starts to end his three-year-old season.

“Ask any trainer what is the three-year-old race they want to win in Sydney and they will tell you the Golden Rose,’’ Ryan said. “Then besides The Everest, what are the two best sprints at weight-for-age in Sydney and they are the TJ Smith Stakes and All Aged Stakes.

“Trapeze Artist won the three of them last season and that has never been done before.

“His best run has always been third-up every preparation and he seems to be running to pattern again.

“I’ve always said he will keep improving with racing and be at his best for The Everest. He’s a big horse, he stands 16.2 hands, weighs about 557kg and fills out his frame and he will peak for his grand final on Everest Day.’’

Ryan conceded this year’s Everest field is so outstanding that the result will be determined by “the barrier draw and luck in running’’.

“The margin for error at this level is so small,’’ the trainer said.

“Trapeze Artist only needs to improve two lengths to be right there and I think he can.

“He will need to because the Everest field is better this year. There might have been a few in the race last year that shouldn’t be in it but this year’s field were almost all Group 1 winners last season.

“They are not coming off Group 1 wins from two or three years ago, they are all in great form. There is also the Irish sprinter, US Navy Flag. He is a very interesting running with some outstanding form, too.’’

Ryan wants to reward Vieira for his sportsmanship as the owner could easily have retired Trapeze Artist after the autumn carnival.

The nation’s leading studs were circling with huge offers of between $30-40 million to buy Trapeze Artist but Vieira ignored the big bucks and decided to race his horse for another season as least.

The lure was the opportunity to run Trapeze Artist in The Everest, the world’s richest turf race. With less than two weeks to the race, Vieira is so near yet so far from reaching The Everest.

“Bert has already put a lot on the line to run Trapeze Artist in The Everest,’’ Ryan said. “I’d love to win the race for him and I hope he is there to see it.’’