The Greyville poly track does not suit some horses and Parabola (8-1) was a case in point when she caused an upset in the GCC Fast Tracked Handicap at Scottsville yesterday.

“I think it was the switch to turf,” said Peter Muscutt, who saddled first and second in a tight finish, the more fancied Super Sparkle touched off a hairs-breadth.

“She was wheel-spinning on the poly,” added Muscutt.

Parabola was all at sea on her poly debut but apprentice Craig Bantam rode a confident race to narrowly get the better of the stable companion.

However, it was back to the drawing boards for Gauteng Guineas hopeful Fiorella who was having her prep run for the race early next month.

Dropped out to last in the early exchanges, Marco van Rensburg switched her in for a run down the home straight and Fiorella moved past the field in a canter. However, when pressed for an effort, there was nothing to come. “I moved through like she was going to win easily but when I asked her she did not give me the kick I expected,” said the jockey.

Ashburton trainers have been plagued by a low-grade virus over the past couple of months which may account for some below par performances from fancied runners.

“It’s no good pressing the issue,” said an obviously disappointed Duncan Howells. “You are just going to mess up a good horse so it will be back to basics.”

Two others not likely to make the trip to Jo’burg on March 3 are Frank Robinson’s pair of Roy’s Had Enough and Roy’s Riviera. “It’s not hundred percent at his stage but I think we will skip the Guineas and maybe go for the others (races in the Triple Crown and Triple Tiara)”.

“The Triple Crown can take it out of a horse, look at Abashiri, and none of those horses behind him in the Derby have been the same.”

“I might just go for the Derby. Alistair’s horse (Monks Hood) won so well, I don’t know if we will have a chance against him.”

It was a tough day for the starters and their assistants with the afternoon getting off to a bad beginning when Burning Love tried to duck under the gate, damaging both herself and the gate, and having to be scratched. She was followed by Volitaire who refused to load.

In the second, Captain’s Girl loaded first time but according to apprentice Eric Ngwane, his scull cap hit one of the posts and the vet, thinking that the horse had injured herself, called for the filly to be backed out and checked.

From there on the re-loading of the filly became a shambles as the starters assitants danced around like headless chickens and Captain’s Girl was eventually scratched from the race. Trainer Louis Goosen was less than complimentary about the incident – his comments mostly unprintable.

After all the drama, the race was won in fine fashion by the smart filly Vision To Kill, also a victim of the Ashburton virus. “She was really hard hit,” revealed the trainer’s wife, Beth Gadsby.

“I think she was only 70 to 80% fit,” said Paul Gadsby. “But she often comes back from her races with some heat in a her knee and you have to give her two or three weeks off.”

“You can’t keep grinding her. It’s a bit of a balancing act.”

There are no immediate plans for the filly but Gadsby has his eye on the Gr1 SA Fillies Sprint in May.

Deshone Steyn, long-time assistant to Sean Tarry in KZN, has called time on his assistant trainer’s license and starts out on his own at the Vaal next month.

“I’ve had 12 years with Sean and I think that’s enough. It’s just the right time,” he said yesterday. Steyn was active at the Shongweni Sale on Tuesday. “I have 10 nice horses to start with. I am serving out my notice and will slowly move to the Vaal. All my family are up there – I’m just not looking forward to the cold weather.”

By Andrew Harrison