“He was very professional and Gryllsy summed the race up perfectly,” Patterson said.
“He rode him the way we had planned out and I just like the way he gets to the front and then buttons off.
“He’s a lot like Dan Carter [former All Black] in that he always has a lot of time on his side.
“Going forward I think he is an out-and-out stayer and I have been going on about the Derby (Group 1, 2400m) for him as he is so relaxed and is very exciting.”
Paterson also alluded to the fact that numerous offers have been made to buy the horse however owner Kirk Devers, who races Read About It under his KRD Racing banner, has so far resisted that interest and has kept the horse in Patterson’s care.
“It gives you a lot of confidence when an owner puts that much trust in you as it is a lot of money [the purchase offers] and it would be life-changing for me,” he said.
“We don’t normally get to keep these ones so I’m just going to savour the moment.
“We will go home and have a think but I’m not keen on going to Christchurch for the 2000 Guineas (Group 1, 1600m) as he has a big season ahead of him and I don’t want to bury him now.”
The Group 1 Trackside New Zealand Derby (2400m), raced on March 8 at Ellerslie, will be one of the major highlights on the biggest day of thoroughbred racing in New Zealand next year with seven stakes races including four Group 1 events plus the inaugural running of New Zealand’s first thoroughbred slot race, the NZB Kiwi (1500m) for three-year-olds, on the card.
Read About It is out of the unraced Iffraaj mare Diggilou, who is a half-sister to the group one Australian Oaks (2400m) placegetter Perfect Rhyme.
- LOVERACING.NZ News Desk