Scissor Step’s giant leap

A break proved as good as a holiday for talented sprinter Scissor Step which resumed with an impressive victory at Sandown Hillside on Wednesday, March 6.

Purchased online early last year, Scissor Step had a very moderate first preparation for trainers Tony & Calvin McEvoy but was given a good break and then brought up through the trainers’ systems.

Although much higher rated, the McEvoys opted to resume him in the Evergreen Turf Handicap (1000m), a benchmark 70, which saw him allocated 68kg on a 58kg minimum.

Apprentice Jaylah Kennedy was booked to ride and claim 3kg. With scratchings, the field was reduced to six.

Kennedy had him away well and sat a little wide tracking the leaders before asking Scissor Step to extend.

The five-year-old, an $8.50 chance, answered Kennedy’s riding and went to the lead holding off a challenge by Oracle Son ($9) to win by a neck with Pantelone ($2.10 fav) a length away third.

Trainer Calvin McEvoy was not surprised by Scissor Step’s win, his first for the stable, and first since October, 2022.

“Weight is important, maybe a little less over 1000 metres,” McEvoy said.

“With the 3kgs off for Jaylah, he was an 82-rater running right down in grade.

“We were a little bit confused by this horse last prep. We bought him online, got some really good stable clients into the horse but he probably just let us down a bit.

“Credit to Rayan Moore, our Racing Manager, who was very keen to do this today.

“Get him right back down in this grade. He did a good job for Matthew Ellerton (his previous trainer) and went up through the grades very quickly.”

McEvoy said Scissor Step was a nice horse and a pleasure to have in the stable.

“He’s a quiet gelding, but a quick horse and I was quietly confident he would run well.

“It looks like he has come back in better order and hopefully he can string a few together for the owners now.”

Winning jockey Jaylah Kennedy said Scissor Step had produced a strong performance giving her a third metropolitan win.

“We jumped away well enough, but I was happy to take a sit,” Kennedy said.

“He settled beautifully, and his wind was really good which is probably the biggest thing for him.

“I was mindful he was first up, so I bided my time down the straight, he was really bullish and switched off late.

“I tried to keep things as smooth as I could, and he was the classiest one in the race.”