An attribute that his jockey says was missing in a lead-up race holds the key to Scissor Kick regaining his place as a benchmark three-year-old in the Randwick Guineas on Saturday.
Scissor Kick was overshadowed by the first four horses across the line in the Hobartville Stakes and while it wasn’t the worst performance of the colt’s career, it wasn’t his best.
“He just lacked that turn of foot when I gave him a good squeeze and he only started to get warmed up in the final 100 metres,” Tye Angland said.
But there is good news for Angland as the jockey tries to double his Group One count to two since his return from Hong Kong last year.
“The horse is thriving and I would expect him to peak third up (on Saturday) and that’s what he has indicated in his work and in his demeanour,” trainer Paul Messara said.
“I was happy enough with his Hobartville run. I don’t think there is a lot between these Sydney colts. Luck in running is a huge factor.”
After drawing off the course and sitting wide when he split Hallowed Crown and Shooting To Win in the Golden Rose, Scissor Kick also drew awkwardly in the Hobartville when he was beaten 1-3/4 lengths into fifth place.
In the smallest Guineas field since the race was introduced to the Sydney autumn carnival in 2006, Scissor Kick has barrier three with the two favourites to start directly to his inside.
Hallowed Crown has the rails with Caulfield Guineas winner Shooting To Win to jump from barrier two with bookmakers marking the pair $2.90 equal favourites in first markets.
Godolphin colt Sweynesse has drawn the widest of seven runners after Kermadec was withdrawn to run in the Australian Guineas at Flemington.
Sweynesse turned in the eye-catching run of the Hobartville, coming from midfield in his first start since finishing eighth but close-up in the Cox Plate.
In Preferment, Chris Waller will have one of the outsiders in the Guineas but he will saddle up the favourite Catkins in the Canterbury Stakes.
Catkins will be chasing a breakthrough Group One win and will have Jim Cassidy on her back.
Cassidy takes over from Hugh Bowman who will reunite with Criterion, the four-year-old he rode to win last year’s Rosehill Guineas and ATC Australian Derby.
