Robbie Patterson had high Classic hopes for Read About It last season before his rising young star’s progress was halted by illness.
The New Plymouth trainer believed the son of Wrote was a genuine Group 1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) prospect until the two-time stakes winner was laid low with breathing issues.
“He was one of the most promising young horses I’ve had for sure, and then he started to make a bit of noise,” Patterson said.
“He got some growths in his upper airways, and we treated him for a long time, but they wouldn’t go away.
“We ended up getting them cut out and it’s taken a year to get to where we are now. These things seem to pick on the better ones.”
Read About It stepped out in an open 1000m heat at the Awapuni trials on Monday and finished an encouraging fourth under rider Kelly Myers.
“He trialled up really nicely, it was a quiet trial because he hasn’t done a lot and Kelly was happy with him,” Patterson said.
“He makes a noise in his breathing, but it’s not affecting him at the moment, so we’re leaving him alone.
“He’ll have another trial and then we’ll find a race for him and see where he ends up.
“If he has to have another operation, we’ll do that, but if it doesn’t affect him then we’ll put up with the noise he makes and push on.”
Read About It was a debut second as a two-year-old before going one better in the Listed Ryder Stakes (1200m) and claimed the Listed Wanganui Guineas (1200m) in his only subsequent appearance.
“Obviously, he hasn’t been knocked around and he’s a very natural horse. He’s only a four-year-old, so he could hopefully race competitively for a few years yet, there’s still plenty of time,” Patterson said.
Meanwhile, his Taranaki stable will have a quiet weekend with Freebelle and Ma Te Wa entered for Saturday’s Otaki meeting.
“They’re both nominated for the same race, but only one will run,” Patterson said.
“It will depend on the track, if it’s heavy then Freebelle will probably go and if it’s not too bad then Ma Te Wa will go.”
Freebelle won for the third time from six appearances when the Belardo mare successfully resumed at Waverley.
Time Test four-year-old Ma Te Wa posted his third victory from five starts when he accounted for Benefactor, fourth in last weekend’s Group 3 Taranaki Breeders’ Stakes (1400m), at Trentham last month.
“He’s a lovely horse with a high cruising speed and he’ll go through to stakes grade, maybe not this campaign but by the end of this season,” Patterson said.
“We won’t knock him around as a four-year-old.”