With the erratic Liberation taking half the field to the
outside fence, the Paul Messara-trained pair Scissor Kick and Panzer Division
fought out a thrilling finish of Saturday's Group III Synergy FX Up And Coming
Stakes (1300m) at Randwick.
The judge needed his magnifying glass to find a margin for Scissor
Kick who was making it two stakes wins in a row following the Listed The
Rosebud at Randwick on August 9.
Liberation was third across the line but Tim Clark was
bombarded by protests and stewards relegated Liberation to fifth with Valencia
claiming third from the favourite Better Land.
Both the winner and runner-up are good looking sons of the
champion stallion Redoute's Choice and Messara said a dead-heat would have been
the perfect result.
The original plan was to keep the colts apart but that may change.
"I had Panzer Division heading towards the Spring Champion
Stakes and Scissor Kick to the Golden Rose and that is the direction they are
heading in but they both might end up in the Golden Rose," Messara said.
"Panzer Division will be much better over a lot further
than this so his effort was huge.
"But Scissor Kick just keeps winning, that's three on
end now and he's done it on varying track conditions."
A $200,000 Inglis Easter purchase from the Broadwater
Thoroughbreds draft, Scissor Kick is owned in partnership by Arrowfield Stud
and the colt's breeder, Jonathan Munz's Pinecliff Racing.
A brother to Listed stakes-winner Sharkbite, Scissor Kick is
the seventh foal of the Quest for Fame mare Back Pass (USA) a half-sister to
Group II winner Three Valleys from the family of Juddmonte Farm'e blue hen Hasili,
the dam of five Group I winners in addition to leading sire Dansili.
Back Pass (USA) died in February. She has a 2yo filly by
Redoute's Choice and a yearling colt by High Chaparral (IRE).
