Te Akau on top in Wellington Guineas
A brilliant front-running ride from leading jockey Craig Grylls paved the way for gutsy filly Origin Of Love (Snitzel) to bolt away with the Gr.2 Taylor Property Plus Wellington Guineas (1600m) at Trentham for the Te Akau Racing team.
Grylls wasn’t taking no for an answer when he rolled forward from barrier rise on the Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson-prepared three-year-old and once he got to the lead he dictated the tempo to his nine rivals throughout.
The daughter of Snitzel looked to be travelling well within herself as she neared the home turn and once Grylls balanced her around the home turn she showed plenty of toe to put a break on the chasing pack which was headed by fellow Waikato raiders Flashback (NZ) (Darci Brahma) and Faultless (NZ) (Tivaci).
Grylls said go at the 250m and the filly hit the afterburners to dash away, eventually easing at the line to beat Midnight Train (NZ) (Yes Yes Yes) who held second from the late closing Alottago (Tagaloa).
Bergerson was thrilled with the effort from a filly who had been thereabouts of late without finding the top step of the podium.
“I thought Gryllsy summed it up really well as it looked like he was going to get trapped wide, but she got across quite nicely (to the lead) in the end,” Bergerson said.
“He slackened the tempo then turned it on at the right time, so it was a really positive ride.
“Fair play to the horse as she has had a massive season. She went down south early and we settled her in there and she has progressed so well.
“She has come off some terrible troubles up north and I can’t thank the team down south and at home enough as she hasn’t been easy.”
Bergerson indicated this would be the last run for Origin Of Love in this preparation as she would now most likely head to the spelling paddock.
“As I said she has had a massive season and fair play to the horse as she has gotten better and better,” he said.
“I think the spelling paddock is definitely calling her.”
Grylls also paid tribute to the filly who had earlier in the season run fifth to Well Written (Written Tycoon) in the Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton.
“By the time I got across we were right down the back (straight) but we were going in a straight line and I was happy to roll forward,” Grylls said.
“When she balanced up she found and I tried to nurse her. She found again so in the end I really didn’t have to go for her.
“It was a really good run and she has put them away with a wicked turn of foot.”
The daughter of Snitzel and Camelot mare Re Edit was purchased by Te Akau Racing boss David Ellis CNZM for A$440,000 from the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
From a ten-start career, Origin Of Love has recorded three wins and four placings and has earned $320,990 for the Te Akau 2024 Magic Fillies Breeding Syndicate.
Origin Of Love provided Te Akau with their fourth win in theWellington Guineas, having scored most recently in 2023 with Cognito.
