Trainer Brydon Mills is excited about the best prospect he has had for several years in the lightly raced Alberti.
The Bertolini gelding, a rising four-year-old, has had only three starts for two wins and a third and is a last-start winner at Sandown in June.
Alberti was bred in New Zealand and brought to Australia to be sold at the 2009 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale in Melbourne but he was passed in.
“He didn’t get a bid, no one knew the sire, Bertolini, and we bought him privately for $15,000 straight afterwards,” said Mills.
Mills, who trained at Riccarton on New Zealand’s South Island, won the 1985 and 1986 Canberra Cup with his stable star Reingard before he made the move to Bendigo some 20 years ago.
Reingard won nine races including the 1984 Group Two Canterbury Gold Cup (2000m) at Riccarton, while two-year-old filly Salvaro won four straight at Riccarton.
While he had several handy gallopers in New Zealand, Mills only has three horses in work at Bendigo and says Alberti is by far the best prospect he has had since moving to Australia.
“He was a real good type of horse. I liked his conformation and his breeding. He’s from a good, tough New Zealand family and is a good-boned fellow,” he said.
“All my success has been through buying yearlings from the Waikato and this guy was reared there too.”
Alberti is nominated for Saturday’s King Island Dairy Hcp (1100m) at Flemington but Mills said he may opt for a Three-Year-Old 0-68 Hcp (1300m) at Sandown on Wednesday week.
Alberti won on an 1100m maiden on his home track on April 26, beating Grey Dignity by 2-1/2 lengths.
He raced wide when third to Any Dream Will Do in an 1100m Class One Hcp at Bendigo on June 2 then turned the tables on that horse when he beat him by 2-1/2 lengths over 1300 metres on a heavy track at Sandown on June 22.
Also among the entries for the Flemington event are Bel Sprinter, unbeaten in two starts including his latest at Moonee Valley, last start Flemington winner Belfast Boy, General Truce, Josimar and Any Dream Will Do.
Leading trainer Peter Moody has nominated Glamour Rock, Riptide and Servant who was runner-up to Sistine Angel in the Group Three McNeil Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield in August last year.
AAP TURF
