The Allan Robertson Championship, traditionally the first grade 1 race for 2yo’s in the South African season was owned by trainer Sean Tarry as the stable coupling of Under Your Spell and Sound Of Warning beat the odds-on favourite Sheela at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday.
Riding his first Gr1 winner, Calvin Habib said, “This is a dream come true! I want to thank Sean Tarry for trusting me. This is the best 2yo filly I have ever ridden.”
Habib said at the 500m he was cruising and that at the 400 there was no doubt!
“She won in a common canter!” he enthused.
Under Your Spell wins the Gr1 Allan Robertson Championship (Pic- Candiese Lenferna)
In going that was ‘good to soft’ and with the outside slightly better than the inside, Under Your Spell came from the back to win by nearly 4 lengths in a time of 69.01 seconds.
Although only the second race over 1200m on the day, the time was 1.92 seconds faster than the Maiden run earlier.
Under Your Spell, a daughter of Capetown Noir out of Summerhill’s untraced Kingmambo mare, Deceptive Charm, (who is out of a full sister to sire Casey Tibbs (Ire)), was purchased in an unseen package online, definitely a sign of the times!
She is a half sister to the useful Witchcraft and In Cahoots, also trained by Tarry.
“You had to ignore the last run”, Tarry was quick to point out.
He said that people were quick to discount earlier achievements on one run.
Tarry was full of praise for Calvin Habib who he said never complains and is very committed.
“I think he is the most underrated jockey in the country,” added the champion.
Sean Tarry won the Gr1 Allan Robertson with Goldkeeper’s daughter, Give Me Five, in 2009.
Now a top Klawervlei mare, Give Me Five’s daughter by Captain Al also ran a gallant 4th in the 2016 Gr1 Allan Robertson , also trained by Tarry – showing that none of this is a fluke.
Gaynor Rupert and Drakenstein Stud owned and bred runner up Sound Of Warning (by Trippi out of Siren’s Call), as well as the narrowly pipped for third, Sheela (by The United States out of Trip To India) from The Azzie yard.
Under Your Spell has now earned close on R440 000 and has been a model of consistency with 4 wins and a place from her 5 starts.
Watch the replay here:
