Sweet Deal carried the big weight fresh but was too good in the end holding on to win the 2020 Toy Show Quality in a thrilling photo finish to kick off what looks like a nice spring campaign for the John Thompson-trained mare.

Sweet Deal was tough first-up to hold in in a photo carrying topweight in the 2020 Toy Show Quality. Photo: Steve Hart.

Winner of the Group 3 Triscay Stakes (1200m) first-up at Randwick in the autumn, Thompson’s classy daughter of Casino Prince was back in winning form fresh again on Winx Stakes Day taking out the Group 3 $160,000 Toy Show Quality (1100m).

Her trainer had been singing her praises throughout the week, but had a few concerns about how the six-year-old would handle the 1100m with the big 59kg topweight.

“The last seven days, she’s just really come on,” he said.

“I was quietly confident but I thought the 1100 (metres) might be a bit short but as it turned out it was a little bit long!

“Worried with the big weight as well but Les Bridge (rival trainer) said to me that good mares win these races and she’s a good mare.”

Down in grade having last been seen running a credible fifth to Con Te Partiro in the Group 1 Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1600m) back in April, Sweet Deal was too good for her rivals despite tiring late under the weight.

Jockey James McDonald said it was a brave effort by the mare who just got her nose down on the line to hold off the Kris Lees-trained lightweight Zaniah who had just 53kg on her back ridden by in-form jockey Jason Collett.

“She’s a really consistent, tough mare who carried the top weight with 59kg there with horses well down in the handicaps,” McDonald told Sky Thoroughbred Central post-win.

“She toughed it out and got there on the line.

“She showed great speed, she travelled well…and she had the audacity to fight on.”

Third in the Toy Show went to the luckless Les Bridge-trained Seasons, while the short-priced favourite Adelong was beaten on the straight having done too much work early to get to the front out wide throughout.

Sweet Deal meanwhile had a nice run in fourth before closing well over the final furlong, getting to the lead 150m out and getting the job done in the photo over the late-charging runner-up.

Thompson is now looking ahead to the other upcoming Group spring mares’ races for Sweet Deal who will be better weighted at set weights plus penalties next start.

“There’s some nice mares’ races coming up for her and the next race for her is set weights with penalties so she’ll probably meet these mares a lot better off in the weights,” he said.

“She’s in for a good prep.”

The Group 2 $200,000 Sheraco Stakes (1200m) on September 12 at Rosehill Gardens looks the most likely second-up assignment for Sweet Deal followed by the Group 2 $400,000 Golden Pendant (1400m) on September 26.

Mizzy (2019) completed the Toy Show Quality – Sheraco Stakes – Golden Pendant treble last spring before running third in both the Silver Eagle and $7.5 million Golden Eagle for four-year-olds.

2020 Toy Show Quality Results  

Colour	Finish	No.	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Margin	Bar.	Weight	Penalty	Starting Price
	1	1	SWEET DEAL	John Thompson	James McDonald		4	59kg		$6.50
	2	11	ZANIAH	Kris Lees	Jason Collett	0.1L	3	53kg		$26
	3	7	SEASONS	Les Bridge	Kerrin McEvoy	0.3L	2	53kg		$9
	4	5	YAMAZAKI	David Pfieffer	Tommy Berry	1.7L	6	54kg		$15
	5	9	INVICTUS SALUTE	Mark Newnham	Ms Rachel King	1.9L	1	53kg		$9.50
	6	6	ADELONG	Brad Widdup	Tim Clark	2L	7	53.5kg		$2.15F
	7	2	EVALINA	Kris Lees	Brenton Avdulla	2.4L	9	55kg		$21
	8	10	MUSICAL GENIUS (NZ)	Joseph Pride	Robbie Dolan	2.5L	5	53kg		$16
	9	4	RIVER BIRD	Jason Coyle	Glen Boss	5.8L	8	54kg		$17
	10	3	IN GOOD TIME	Tracey Bartley	Ms Kathy O’Hara	5.9L	10	54kg		$26
		8	WITHERSPOON	Kris Lees	Ms Louise Day (a)		0

Table Credit: Racing Australia.