Season of Success: Love Rules Supreme

Origin Of Love (Snitzel – Re Edit, by Camelot) richly deserved her success when justifying favouritism in impressive style to win the $250,000 Group 2 Taylor Property Plus Wellington Guineas (1600m) on 21 March at Trentham.

One of the most consistent three-year-old fillies of the season, Origin Of Love had been competing with distinction against the very best of her generation since beginning her campaign in September.

She had already won the Group 3 War Decree Stakes (1600m), finished runner-up in the Group 3 Eulogy Stakes (1600m) and Group 2 Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2000m), was fourth in the Group 2 Lowland Stakes ( 2100m), and most recently produced a courageous third in the Windsor Park Trophy (3YO, 1500m) on Champions' Day at Ellerslie.

Her form had been exemplary throughout the season and she thoroughly deserved another stakes victory, recording her third win from just 10 starts, along with two second placings and two thirds.

Ridden confidently by leading jockey Craig Grylls, who had also partnered her in the Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes, Origin Of Love was required to work early from barrier nine to find the lead. Once she settled into a comfortable rhythm, however, she travelled beautifully before kicking strongly in the straight to race clear and score with authority.

On a Soft5 track, Origin Of Love covered the 1600 metres in 1:34.8, with her final 600 metres in 34.8 seconds. She defeated her rivals by one and a quarter lengths and returned dividends of $2.30 and $1.50 on the NZ TAB tote.

Owned by the Te Akau 2024 Magic Fillies Breeding Syndicate (Mgr: Lady Karyn Ellis MNZM), Origin Of Love was purchased by Sir David Ellis KNZM for A$440,000 from the draft of Arrowfield Stud at the 2024 Magic Millions' Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

By four-time Australian Champion Sire Snitzel (Redoute's Choice), Origin Of Love boasts one of the most influential sire lines in modern Australian thoroughbred breeding, continuing the remarkable legacy of Danehill through Redoute's Choice and Snitzel.

She is the first foal from Re Edit, a three-time winner to 1600 metres by European Champion Three-Year-Old Colt Camelot (Montjeu).

The depth of the pedigree continues through the dam line, with Champion Sire and outstanding sire of sires High Chaparral complemented by proven New Zealand stallions Star Way and In The Purple.

Her third dam, Argante (Star Way), produced dual Group One winner and Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m) hero Monaco Consul, who also topped New Zealand's Three-Year-Old Free Handicaps (1600m+).

At the time of her purchase, David Ellis said:

"We love buying first foals because we've had so much success with them over the years, and this filly is an absolute cracker from one of the best studs in Australia."

Origin Of Love also carries an attractive Danehill cross through both her sire line and the dam line of Camelot.

Following another outstanding season, Origin Of Love remains in training at Matamata and is scheduled to have a jump-out later in July before trialling in early August as preparations begin for her four-year-old campaign.

Previous Te Akau winners of the Group 2 Wellington Guineas (1600m):

2023 – Cognito (So You Think)

2021 – Need I Say More (No Nay Never)

2005 – Darci Brahma (Danehill)