Read About It (NZ) Makes Statement in Ryder Stakes

With an emphatic victory in Saturday’s $80,000 Listed Phil’s Electrical & Gipsy Caravans Ryder Stakes (1200m) at Otaki, Read About It (NZ) (Wrote) dwarfed his $5,000 purchase price at Karaka and staked his claim for even higher honours next season.

Read About It has now had two starts for a win and a second, earning $52,475 – more than 10 times what Prestige Worldwide paid to secure him from the 2022 National Weanling Sale.

The Robbie Patterson-trained two-year-old made his debut at Riccarton in June, where he produced an eye-catching late finish for second after being hampered early in the home straight. He had won all of his three trials before that promising debut.

Those credentials earned $1.80 favouritism for Read About It in Saturday’s Ryder Stakes, and he delivered a superb performance despite not particularly having the race run to suit.

Read About It and rider Craig Grylls were squeezed back and boxed in along the rail as the race was run at a muddling speed through the early stages.

When others began to move wider out in search of better footing just before the home turn, Grylls elected to save ground and stick closer to the inside.

Read About It burst through to hit the front at the top of the straight, and he put his rivals away comfortably through the final 200 metres to win by a length and three-quarters with his ears pricked.

“We were in a horrible spot,” Patterson said. “The horse in front of him wasn’t really travelling and they slammed those anchors on. But he won with his ears pricked, didn’t he? He was just dominant.

“I think he’s a serious horse. It was probably not the most elite field that he beat today, but going forward, he’s pretty exciting.

“We’ve always liked the horse, and I think the trip down to Riccarton for his debut probably made him as well. It was a big call going all the way down there, but it paid off.

“I won’t go too far with him now. He can have a week in the paddock, and then we’ll head towards the Wanganui Guineas (Listed, 1200m) at the end of August, and then we might back off him a little bit. Whether we go to a race like the 2000 Guineas (Group One, 1600m), I’m not too sure. But we’ve got a bit to look forward to with him.”

Grylls was impressed with his mount’s stakes-winning performance.

“He’s still pretty green,” he said. “He pricked his ears when he saw the crowd at around the 100-metre mark, and he almost put the handbrake on. But when the others got a little bit closer, he let go again.

“He’s a big-striding guy and will improve heading into his three-year-old season. Once he gets up to 1400 metres and a mile, you’re going to see an even better horse.”

Vendor	Platinum Bloodstock
Purchaser	Prestige Worldwide (Victoria)
Breeding	Wrote – Diggilou
Sale	Lot 30, 2022 National Weanling Sale, $5,000
Bred by	Mrs D R Andersen & A A K Leander