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Fituese scores a first-up victory in the Toy Show Quality

Fituese (5 m ex Cattalo by Tiger Hill) scored a good first-up victory in the Toy Show Quality (Gr 3, 1100m) at Randwick on Saturday, becoming the seventh Group winner for Newgate Farm’s Deep Field (Northern Meteor). 

Trained by John Thompson and raced by Prime Thoroughbreds, who earlier in the day had suffered the loss of Xtremetime (Extreme Choice) in the Silver Shadow Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m), Fituese overcame a wide draw to take out Saturday’s Group Three race. 

"I feel for the Prime Thoroughbreds owners. It's the highs and lows, the highest of highs and the lowest of lows," Thompson said. 

"No-one, obviously, wants to see that happen. Thank God the riders are OK, unfortunately the filly wasn't. 

"But they were able to bounce back here with this lovely mare." 

Fituese had shown good promise last spring before struggling on rain-affected tracks in the autumn and she appreciated a good surface on Saturday. 

She came from the widest barrier in 16 and was a late pick-up for apprentice Jean Van Overmeire after Rachel King was stood down following a fall from Brandenburg (Burgundy) a race earlier. 

"I gave him a two-second run down before the race after picking up the ride," Thompson said. 

"Gee, it was 11 out of ten for the ride. I thought it would be hard from that gate. He did very well." 

Fituese ($12) settled worse than midfield before unleashing her run to beat Great News (Uncle Mo) by a neck with Tailleur (Shooting To Win) another length and a quarter away.

The mare is one of three winners and the only stakes winner out of dual winner Cattalo (Tiger Hill) who was covered by Deep Field last November. Fituese’s third dam is multiple Group One winner Mannerism (Amyntor) who produced ten winners from as many foals to race headed by Dandify (Danehill) and Manner Hill (Danehill). 

Deep Field is standing for a fee of $88,000 (inc GST) this spring having covered a book of 200 mares at Newgate Farm last year when his fee was set at $55,000 (inc GST).