There was speculation Scissor Kick could pass up a run at Rosehill Gardens for Moonee Valley this weekend following his nominations for both the Group 2 Stan Fox Stakes (1500m) and Group 2 Bill Stutt Stakes (1600m).

Scissor Kick (yellow cap) is a definite runner for the Stan Fox Stakes. Photo by Steve Hart.

The Stan Fox has been a likely run for Scissor Kick since he finished runner-up in the Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) on September 13, but a nomination for the Bill Stutt signaled an end to that seeing as the two races are just one day apart.

Yet trainer Paul Messara has confirmed the Group 2 Stan Fox on September 27th is still very much top priority despite the nomination for the Bill Stutt at Moonee Valley the day before.

“Scissor Kick [is] definitely staying in Sydney for the Stan Fox. [He is] just nominated in Melbourne as a safety net,” the Arrowfield Stud trainer wrote on Twitter.

The three-year-old impressed in the Golden Rose at Rosehill earlier this month, his first Group 1 tilt. He produced a bold run that saw him chase down second place, finishing just a head behind Hallowed Crown.

This followed his first Group outing back in August, in the Group 3 Up And Coming Stakes (1300m) at Randwick, which he won by a nose thanks to some luck from interference.

Tye Angland, who rode the colt in both Group outings, is due to partner Scissor Kick again at Rosehill on Saturday. The jockey took to twitter to say the horse was looking well during his Sunday morning canter and that he “couldn’t wait to jump back on him.”

Connections also announced that a decision on Scissor Kick’s Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600) run will depend on his Stan Fox performance.

The Group 2 $200,000 Stan Fox Stakes has had its nominations extended. When entries for the race closed on Monday morning there were only eight horses and as a result nominations have been extended until 11am Tuesday.